Obsession
by JC-zala
Summary: Sakura Mikan, innocent yet energetic, is Natsume’s lovely girlfriend. As his passion for her deepens, so does his obsession. With men head over heels for her, Natsume is unable to live quietly. As he protects her, he finds himself losing control.
1. The Desire for Her

JC: This is another story inspired by the rain. I like the rain so much and I love playing under it. I'm like a child, right? But it reminds me of so many things—the good and the bad, usually the good. Okay, enough of that. I know you want to read the story now. This is a story about love, betrayal, friendship, and rivalries. Love can be either a cure or a poison. It all depends on how a person views the feeling of love. 

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice. All rights belong to Higuchi Tachibana-sama.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 1: The Desire for her 

Rain was falling heavily on a gloomy Sunday morning. Everywhere was cold and damp. No one would dare to venture outside to face the harsh conditions, let alone to get wet. The whole campus of Alice Academy, the prestigious school for gifted children, was awfully silent. The students were pretty upset about the weather. It was a Sunday, a day where they could spend hours of shopping, playing, and doing some other senseless and childish things. But Mother Nature wouldn't give them a break. It was so unfair, most of them thought. They were stuck in their respective dorms, with nothing to do but to wish that the rain would stop. Even the students with the weather-controlling Alice can't do anything about it, because nature itself was at work. 

Under the rain, a young 14-year old girl was twirling around with a gentle smile on her face. She had long brown hair and alluring amber eyes. Her face was beautiful enough to melt the hearts of anyone who would gaze upon her. She was clad in a simple knee-length white dress with cherry blossoms patterns at the hem of the skirt. A bright pink cloak was wrapped around her petite figure to shield her from the cold. For footwear, she wore a pair of white doll-shoes. She skipped merrily across the path towards her dorm. She didn't care if she was wet, as long as she was happy. She loved the rain and she loved being under it. There was something about it that pleased her. She stopped in her tracks and spread out her arms. She closed her eyes, raised her head, and took a deep breath. She felt so good, so refreshed. The rain had so much impact on her. Unlike for some, she wished it would never stop. She wanted it to go on. She was having so much fun. 

The cheerful brunette arrived at the dorm ten minutes later. She was dripping wet, her dress almost see-through from the cold rain. She shivered in anticipation with what she was going to do. She removed her cloak and walked through the hallways, only to have the people staring at her. Some boys were awed by her slim figure. Her wet clothes had stuck on her like glue. The boys couldn't help drooling at her. She didn't mind this, though. Her mind was completely set on the rain. She was brimming with happiness as she kept on smiling. 

"Mikan-sama, good morning!" some boys greeted as they stared at her with lust. 

"You're all wet. Why don't you let us help you dry up?" A boy, obviously a fan boy, approached her with a towel in his hand. He too was having perverted thoughts about the gorgeous brunette. 

"Thank you," she said sweetly, presenting a smile. "But I'll dry myself up when I get to my room. I appreciate your kindness." She walked pass the boys, making them sigh dreamily. 

Sakura Mikan, owner of the rare Nullification and Stealing-Alice, was one of the cutest girls in the campus. She was like a princess to every single guy in the school. At first, she was only popular because she was the partner of the infamous Hyuuga Natsume. But due to her kindness and her adorable looks, she became more popular than ever. Her star-rank had also increased from Single Star to Special Star because of her hard work and training during the past years. However, Mikan was still Mikan no matter what you do. She was still dense, clumsy, and slow, but she can be perceptive in a critical situation. 

Over the years, she had been courted by so many guys. Some guys appeared to be older or younger than her. Despite the number of admirers, she was oblivious to the boys' feelings for her. Even so, the boys thought of her denseness as one of her charming traits. 

"Gosh, she is so sexy. I think I saw her bra!" The guy was blushing ten shades of red as he thought about Mikan. "I would give anything to have a date with her." He looked up at his friend and fellow fan boy beside him. 

"Mikan-sama is like a walking MOE!!" he said, holding up a red rose in his right hand. He had unruly platinum blue hair and heterochromatic eyes; his left eye was crimson while his right eye was jade green. He was very good-looking. His name was Kawashima Kyo, a Special Ability Type student of the Middle School Division. He was a Triple Star student and was in the same academic year as Mikan, but he was in a different class. He got transferred during spring time after hiding from the Academy for so long with his family. 

"Moe?? Kyo, is that one of your otaku terms again?" 

Kyo nodded his head. "Moe is a Japanese slang word referring to love for games, anime, and manga. Do you get what I'm saying, Ryou?"

Hibiki Ryou sighed at Kyo's explanation. Ryou was more or less the best friend of Kyo. They have been friends since childhood. He got transferred to Alice Academy at the same time as Kyo. He and Kyo were in the same class, much to his dismay. A Latent Ability Type and a Double Star student, Ryou was kind of a pervert and he used to peek at the girls' locker room in his previous school. Contrary to his perverted behaviors, Ryou was handsome. He has shoulder-length black hair with green highlights and his sharp-looking eyes were hazel. Ryou would usually be annoyed by Kyo's constant references to his otaku interests. 

"You know what," Kyo said, pulling his dark-haired friend closer to him. "Many of these so-called fan boys are actually as attractive and dashing as us. We have a lot of competition, Ryou." He sighed in frustration and puffed his cheeks. 

"Could you not do that?" Ryou pointed at Kyo's cheeks. "That look only looks good on Mikan-sama." He was always frank with his best friend. Heck, he would usually insult him with some colorful words. 

The fan boys continued their talk about their favorite brunette. They felt so lucky to have seen Mikan's figure under her wet clothes. These boys were getting more perverted by the minute. Unfortunately for them, a certain fire-caster heard their conversations and grew jealous in an instant. 

"Do you think that freaky Imai will sell more of her pictures tomorrow?" another fan boy said, holding a picture of Mikan in his hand. He had bought that picture from the well-known blackmailer, Imai Hotaru, for 100 rabbits. 

"Move out of the way," a stern and cold voice said. 

The boy swiftly turned his head and saw the face of Hyuuga Natsume, the Black Cat of the academy. He swallowed hard and gave way for the raven-haired boy to pass. As the others saw this, they also moved out of the way. No one in the right mind would dare to stand up against the dangerous fire-caster. They would seriously get burned if they do that. 

As Natsume walked past them, he felt the tension brewing. He knew that all of those fan boys hated him. He knew that they wanted to skin him alive for being so close to their cheerful princess. But he hated them as well. He thought of them as nothing more than a pain in the butt. He didn't want any of them around Mikan. He couldn't stand them for being so open and so straightforward whenever she was with them. If only he could burn them, he thought, he would feel relieved. 

The moment Natsume disappeared from their sight, the fan boys heaved a sigh. The temperature was so hot when Natsume was present. It was no surprise since his Alice was Fire. For once, they wished to stand up against Natsume. But they had no guts. They all thought that there Alices were not as good as Natsume's Alice. The fan boys felt so shattered and lost. How can they win the affections of Mikan if Natsume was always there for her? 

At this time, Kyo and Ryou stepped out of the group and faced them confidently. Both of them had wide smirks on their faces. Kyo cleared his throat and raised his fist high. "As members of the Sakura Mikan-sama Fan Club, we must not give up. We can't let some fire manipulating jerk get to us, right? We should fight for our love!" he announced proudly. 

Ryou agreed with him fully. He wasn't afraid of Hyuuga Natsume and he was willing to snatch Mikan away from him. "Why don't we hold a meeting right now at the usual place? Let's device a plan to get rid of that darn Hyuuga, shall we?"

All the fan boys nodded their head like a bunch of obedient pets. They were very serious about Mikan. They would do anything, as in anything, to win her heart—even if it means eliminating the competition or using some force. 

* * *

Mikan removed her wet clothes and went to the bathroom to take a short shower. Playing under the rain was good, but she didn't want to stay wet forever. After fifteen minutes, Mikan turned off the shower, grabbed a towel, and wiped herself dry. She wrapped a warm light pink towel around her naked body and stepped out of the bathroom. She sat in front of her mirror and combed her brown locks in place. She smiled at her own reflection. 

The rain was still pouring hard outside. She knew the rain was hated by many and only a few people like her loved the rain. But sometimes she thought of the rain as tears from the sky. Her grandfather used to tell her so many tales about the rain and she never got sick of them. Her grandfather's stories were very delightful to hear. 

She stood from the chair and motioned herself to the balcony glass door. She was tempted to play in the rain again. But she knew she would get a cold if she played under it too much. She still had school the next day and she didn't want to be absent because of a cold. She was, after all, a Special Star student. 

All of a sudden, a pair of strong arms snaked around her body. She let out a soft shriek in surprise. She peered over her shoulders and saw the luscious crimson eyes of a raven-haired guy. Yes, it was none other than Hyuuga Natsume. Mikan sighed in relief. For a minute there, she thought it was an Anti-Alice member trying to kidnap her again. 

"Natsume, you scared me there," Mikan said, turning around to face him properly. She placed her hands on his strongly-built chest and smiled at him. It seemed that she has forgotten the fact that she was only clad in a towel. 

As for Natsume, he was well-aware of Mikan's nudity. His face flushed up at the sight of her cleavage when he looked down. "It seems they've grown a bit again, huh?" he said with no emotions. 

"Huh? What are you talking about?" the innocent brunette asked. She then remembered that she just got out of the shower and was almost naked. She blushed madly and pushed Natsume away. She covered her chest with her arms and dropped down to the floor. "Natsume, you big pervert!!" 

"Don't shout, idiot," Natsume replied nonchalantly. As much as he liked looking at Mikan's gorgeous body, he can't have his girlfriend tempt him to do you-know-what. It was a good thing Natsume had some self-control over his body. "Just get dress already." 

"Stupid Natsume!!" she said, still sitting on the floor. "I will if you step out of my room!"

Natsume walked to her bed and lay down, as if he didn't hear a thing she said. He picked up his manga and placed it over his face. "I won't peek, so hurry it up. Lunch is almost ready and I'm starving." 

How insensitive can her boyfriend be? Mikan wondered with a clenched fist. She wanted to kick Natsume so hard. She refused to get dressed with Natsume around. Knowing him, he would grab the opportunity to peek at her. "Get out, pervert!" 

Annoyed, Natsume got up and dangled a set of keys in front of his face. "Even if you kick me out of here, I can still get back in. Remember, you gave me the spare key to your room." 

She had reached her boiling point. "Natsume, you jerk! Of course I remember about the keys! I just need a minute to get dressed, so would you please get out?!" 

"No…" he replied, his expression stoic as ever. He lay down once again and covered his face with his trusty manga. 

Mikan shrugged. "Moron! Fine then!" She grabbed her clothes from the closet and marched back to the bathroom. Her boyfriend was so frustrating and to think that she had put up with him for three years. But even though Natsume was the handsomest pervert that ever walked the planet, she still loved him with her whole heart. 

When Mikan came out, Natsume rose from the bed to take a good look at her. His jaw almost dropped to see the young brunette clothed in a cute outfit, which were a white top over coated with a pink hip-length jacket and a mid-thigh yellow pleated skirt. He managed to stay cool, as Mikan approached him. "What took you so long?" he asked. 

"It's none of your business, pervert," she replied harshly, folding her arms in front of her chest. She was still mad at him for not listening to her pleas earlier. 

Natsume grabbed her wrist, much to her dismay, and dragged her outside. He was really hungry and yet, his girlfriend was wasting time pouting over such minor problems. As soon as they reached the stairs, Mikan brushed her hand away from Natsume. "What is it now?" Natsume grumbled, turning to her.

Mikan stomped her foot on the floor and planted her fists on her hips. "I haven't forgiven you yet, Natsume, and I don't plan on having you drag me all the way to the cafeteria." She was about to pass him until Natsume grabbed her again. "Hey Natsume!"

Without a warning, the raven-haired boy pinned his girlfriend against the wall. He trapped her on the spot by placing his hands beside her head. He locked his crimson eyes on her amber ones. He can't live the rest of the day with an angry girlfriend around. In addition, he was getting annoyed with Mikan's stubbornness. 

"Na-Natsume…" she said his name in s soft voice. "Don't tell me you're planning on doing it again…" Her heart was starting to pump so fast. 

"What do you think?" 

"It's not going to work this time, Natsume!" she uttered, trying to push him away, but the boy held his ground and stood firm. 

"Then I just have to kiss you over and over again until you forgive me," Natsume whispered into her ear, showing off a small smirk. 

Her face became as red as a tomato by his words. She grumbled some curses before looking straight at him. She clenched her fists tight, preparing herself to shout out some insults at him. However, her mouth got sealed by a kiss from her beloved Natsume. Her eyes grew wide in shock. Natsume deepened the kiss even more. He released her lips and looked at her blushing face. He was expecting her to say something like he was already forgiven, but Mikan just threw a glare. She wasn't planning on giving in so easily. 

"If you want to play it hard, then it's fine by me." A malicious grin stretched across his face. He pulled her head closer to his and pressed himself against her. He ran his tongue across her lip. Natsume pushed her back against the wall again. He pulled his lips away and made his way to her ear. He kissed her lightly, savoring her like a sweet treat. He could hear her sharp intake of breath. "Mikan, I want you so much," he whispered into her ear. 

Mikan's muscles tensed up at his words and actions. She was trying hard to keep herself in check as the fire-caster bit down her neck. She was stunned, speechless, and afraid. Natsume had kissed her several times before. His kisses were always gentle, loving, and warm. But now Mikan felt so much passion from his kisses, or more like lust. She never knew how much her raven-haired boyfriend craved for her. 

The passion in his crimson eyes intensified as he looked into her dazzling amber eyes and with a smirk for a smile, he trailed butterfly kisses on her neck to her cheeks. She unintentionally moaned in ecstasy. She had finally given in. He knew she was getting weak but he didn't care, so he kissed her again on the lips. The way she tasted was too sweet. He didn't want to let her go until… 

BAKA! BAKA! BAKA! 

Three bullets from the infamous Baka Canon hit the flame-caster's head dead on. He pummeled to the floor as Mikan clamped her mouth in surprise. She quickly turned to the direction where the bullets came and saw her cold-hearted best friend with her invention in her hand. "Hotaru, what are you doing here?" 

"I was wondering why you weren't at the cafeteria yet, so I decided to come up here to check on you," Hotaru replied with a slight irritation. "But I never expected to see such a daring scene in the hallway." She motioned herself over to Mikan's side and pointed the Baka Canon at the raven-haired guy lying on the floor. 

"Ah… Natsume, are you all right?" Mikan asked. She was going to help him, but the inventor pulled her back. "Hotaru, why?" 

Hotaru didn't answer her, because all of her attention was on Natsume. "I knew I can't entrust Mikan to you. You're way too perverted." Hotaru was always against Natsume's sexual harassments on Mikan. Her best friend was way too pure and innocent for someone as malicious minded as Natsume. How could she let Natsume be her best friend's girlfriend? She knew how possessive Natsume can be and still she let him have Mikan. 

"What the hell was that for?" Natsume stood up, rubbing his sore head. He glared at the stoic inventor, his fists clenched tightly. He would always get irritated at Hotaru's actions. Ever since Mikan became his girlfriend, Hotaru became more evil than before. She set up a lot of rules of 'do's and don'ts' just to keep Mikan safe from him. And for the record, he has also become Hotaru's favorite target for her inventions. 

"Remember rule no. 16?" Hotaru said in a threatening voice, but her face remained emotionless. "You're not allowed to do **IT **until you get married." 

"**IT**?" Mikan echoed, tapping her chin with her finger. _I wonder what **it** means… _She was always dense when it comes to theses things. Well, it was perfectly normal for her. 

He shrugged. Of course he remembered it. He had read the rules about ten times already thanks to the heartless blackmailing queen. He wanted to burn her and her inventions so badly. But he knew it would break his girlfriend's heart if he hurts her best friend. He let out a frustrated sigh and slid his hands into his pocket. He revealed a calm and cold expression as he walked over to Mikan's side. 

"Idiot, don't take the rules for granted," Hotaru said, pissing Natsume more. 

"Tch. I don't have to be reminded by a weirdo like you," he replied grimly as he took Mikan's hand. "Polka-dots, let's go. 

"Ah? Umm… Okay…" Mikan sensed the heated tension between Natsume and Hotaru. She decided to ignore it and smile like always. She presented her smile to Hotaru and said, "You coming, Hotaru?" She intertwined her fingers with Hotaru's and pulled her closer. 

"Idiot, don't you dare bring me any closer to this jerk," the inventor girl said, eyeing Natsume cruelly. 

Natsume shot her back with a dead glare, as if he wanted to kill her right on the spot. The two were so alike yet they hated each other to the core. But they do share one common interest and that was Mikan. 

Feeling that World War III might begin, Mikan pulled the two stoic beings downstairs. She was getting hungry and she remembered Natsume complaining that he was hungry too. She hoped that the food will be able to calm them down for her sake and the school's sake. She didn't want to see inventions flying and flames spreading because of their fight. 

* * *

"I haven't been to a sleepover in ages!" Mikan exclaimed as she spread out her sleeping bag on the floor of Imai Hotaru's Triple Star bedroom. Hotaru's room was smaller compared to her Special Star room, but it was big enough to occupy a lot of people. 

"Me neither," Ogasawara Nonoko said, brushing her straight dark-blue hair. 

Umenomiya Anna set a huge bowl of popcorn on the coffee table. "I thought maybe later it would be fun to watch some movies." She pointed to a stack of DVDs on the DVD player. "I have to warn you, though. Kokoroyomi-kun helped me picked them out. I take no responsibility for _The_ _GRUDGE 2_." 

The inventor grabbed a handful of popcorn. "Maybe we should watch that one first," she suggested with a grin. 

Mikan shivered in fear. She didn't like ghosts, monsters or goblins, let alone a scary movie. "Why don't we watch a comedy flick instead?" she said, smiling nervously. 

"We're watching The _GRUDGE 2 _whether you like it or not," Hotaru said as she stuffed some more popcorn into her mouth. "Don't be so wimpy, dummy." 

"As usual, you're so cold," Mikan said, sighing in defeat. 

For the next two hours, the girls ate popcorn and watched horror movies. It was almost ten o'clock before Mikan finally fainted due to extreme fear. Anna and Nonoko were trembling non-stop as well, while Hotaru was just being Hotaru. The odd inventor didn't scream not even once throughout the movies. It was like she has no sense of fear at all. When the horror movie ended, the three geeky sisters decided to call it a night. They were tired and they still had class the next day. 

"Hotaru-chan, have you told Mikan-chan yet?" Nonoko said as she stretched out on her sleeping bag. 

"Not yet," Hotaru replied. She stood up from the floor and went to her bed. "I was planning on telling her, but she fainted." She pointed at her brunette best friend lying still on her own sleeping bag. 

"Maybe we should've watched comedy movies instead of horror movies," Anna said, feeling a bit guilty. She was the one who let the mischievous mind reader pick out the movies. 

Nonoko pulled a blanket over Mikan's body and tucked her in real nice and cozy. She gazed her pretty little eyes on the brunette, admiring how angelic Mikan looked in her sleeping state. Nonoko wanted to pinch her cheeks for that, but she didn't want to disturb Mikan's peaceful slumber. She went back to her own sleeping bag and lay down. "Anna-chan, Hotaru-chan, good night," she said gently. 

"Good night, Nonoko-chan," the pink-haired girl replied, covering herself with a blanket. "Good night, Hotaru-chan." 

Hotaru grabbed a remote control on her bedside table. "Good night…" she said plainly. She pointed the remote at the lights and pressed a button to turn them off. She threw her best friend a quick glance and smiled a little bit. "Good night, dummy. I'll tell you everything tomorrow." She lay down on her bed and went to sleep. 

* * *

The time was four o'clock in the morning. The sun was nowhere in sight and darkness still loomed over the Academy. At this strange hour, Mikan jarred her eyes wide open. She sat up and panted hard. She had a dream, a nightmare to be exact. She was dreaming of the movie she saw and she was getting killed by a monster. She wrapped herself and trembled silently. She stared out the window, wishing the sun would rise already. As quiet as a mouse she walked to the door and opened it slowly. She didn't want to wake her friends up. She also didn't want to get hit by Hotaru's inventions. She knew how cranky the callous inventor can be when disturbed. She stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her. 

"It's still so early," she muttered under her breath. "Maybe I should go and dress up for school." She walked through the dark hallways and felt scared. Aside from ghosts and ghouls, she was also afraid of the dark. She wanted to go back to Hotaru's room, but what will she do there? She knew she wouldn't dare of going back to sleep again. So, she quickened her pace and zoomed through the hall until she reached a stair case. Her Special Star room was on the next floor and it was located right next to Natsume's. 

"I'm sure he's still sleeping right now," Mikan said, smiling at the thought of a sleeping Natsume. She had seen Natsume's sleeping face a thousands time already and she had always thought of it as cute. She lightly laughed as she ascended the stairs. When she reached the next floor, she walked towards her bedroom door, took out the keys, and unlocked it. "Finally…" 

She went inside and sat down on her bed. "I wish they would leave some lights on in the hallways…" She slumped down on the bed and felt like she hit something hard. _Strange… My pillows are always soft and fluffy. Why is it hard? _

"Hey, polka-dots, get off," a familiar voice said. 

"WHAT THE—" She got up in a second, looked down on her bed, and saw Natsume covered in her bed sheets. "What the hell are you doing in my bedroom?!" she shouted. 

Natsume rubbed his poor ears in irritation. Leave it to his girlfriend to disturb the peace and order. "What does it look like I'm doing?" he answered in a bored tone. "I was sleeping." 

A vein popped out as she clenched her fists. "For your information, this is my room! Don't you have your own room to sleep in?!" 

"Is it wrong for the guy to sleep in his girlfriend's bedroom?" 

"NATSUME!" 

Abruptly, he threw a pillow at her face and turned to the other side. "Just shut up and go back to sleep." He wanted to get some more shut eye. It was still so early in the morning. 

She was going to blow her top any minute. She screamed so many curses about him in her mind as she held the pillow tightly with one hand. She raised the pillow high and hit Natsume's head. "Pervert, wake up and go back to your own room!" 

Once again the brunette had successfully annoyed the hell out of him. But he wasn't going to let her get away with it. That wasn't just right. He pulled her and pinned her down on the bed. He held her wrists tight as he laid eyes on his lovely girl. 

Mikan tried to look stern. "Natsume, I'm starting to get the feeling that you're making me mad on purpose." 

"Hn… And what makes you say that?" 

"Because when you ask for forgiveness, you usually do it by kissing me," she replied nonchalantly. 

Natsume thought that his girl was too dense to realize his actions. He didn't want to admit it, but Mikan was right. "So what? You don't like it?" he said, leaning closer to her face. 

She blushed like a bright Christmas bulb. Truth to be known, she never hated his kisses. In fact, she liked them so much. "You just like taking advantage of me, do you?" 

He looked at her with startled eyes, but gave no complaints. He kissed her gently, pressing his body against hers. When he pushed his tongue through her lips, Mikan let out a little squeak of shock. He sat up quickly and caressed her cheek with his hand. "Does that answer your question?" he said. 

Mikan was astonished. She took his hand off of her cheek and kissed it softly. "You're really a pervert, Natsume…" she said as she looked up at him with eyes glistening with purity. 

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: Wow! I managed to write a story again thanks to the rain. I am reading too much romance novels, which is why I was able to write so many Natsume and Mikan moments here. The two new characters I introduced here are Hibiki Ryou and Kawashima Kyo. You'll find out about their Alice later on. But I did leave some clues about their Alice here. So, tell me what you think? The other official characters of Gakuen Alice will come in soon. Don't worry… Please review and no flaming. 


	2. Lust and Love

JC: I never expected to get so many reviews and hits on my first chapter. I'm quite flattered. Thank you very much, reviewers!! Here's my 2nd chapter of Obsession. More characters are going to be here. Please read, understand, and enjoy the fic. 

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice. All rights belong to Higuchi Tachibana-sama.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 2: Lust and Love 

Mikan was up and all dressed in her middle school uniform. It was six o'clock in the morning, which was very early. She looked at herself in her full-length mirror, tying her soft hair into a ponytail with some strands hanging loose beside her face. She noticed that her skirt had become a lot shorter than before. She must be growing taller. Smiling at the thought, she pulled out her pair of boots and slipped them on. Then she walked out of her room and walked over to Natsume's room. She thought about knocking for about half a second, but she remembered that she had the spare keys to his room. She used the keys and went in. His room was no different than her room, only that it had the essence of a guy. She spotted her boyfriend sitting on the couch reading one of his mangas again. 

"Good morning, Natsume!" she said brightly, running towards him. She gave him a small peck on the cheek. 

The raven-haired boy didn't bother to greet her. He pulled her by the wrist, forcing her to sit down on the couch. He closed his manga and stared at the lovely brunette. He suddenly remembered the conversation of Mikan's fan boys the day before, wherein he got totally jealous when one of them mentioned that they saw her bra underneath her clothing. "What were you doing in the rain yesterday?" he asked in his usual serious tone. 

"I told you before, I love playing under the rain," she answered, still smiling widely. 

"Idiot, you could've gotten sick," Natsume said with a slight hint of concern. 

"I don't get sick that easily, Natsume, and you know it." Mikan crossed her arms and pouted like a little girl. "I thought you had no problems with me and the rain." She raised an eyebrow at him. 

True, Natsume had always known his girlfriend's love for the rain. But that was not the reason why he felt troubled. The reason was because of those darn fan boys of the Mikan fan club. They couldn't stop staring at her yesterday. Only he had the right to stare and admire her body. Mikan was his girlfriend and she belonged to no one else. "Take me with you next time, understand?" He made it sound like a command more than a request. 

"Hmmm… Sure, why not!?" she exclaimed. She stood up and tugged on Natsume's sleeve. "Hey, let's take a walk for a while. There's still plenty of time before classes will start." 

"Whatever…" he grunted as he stood up. He let his girl hugged his right arm before they left the room together. 

The couple spent their time chatting, arguing, and calling each other names as they walked on the path towards the middle school building. The trees swayed gracefully with the cold wind. No one was around except for the two of them. Everything around them was peaceful and only the two of them were making a racket. But unknown to them, two pairs of eyes were prying on them. 

Natsume paused for a while and stared at the bushes not far from him. He sensed the presence of two beings there. He wanted to burn the bush to drive them off, but Mikan pulled him towards her. He didn't want her to know that somebody was spying on them, so he acted naturally in front of her and continued walking. He was still suspicious, though, and he wanted to find out who were they. 

"The whole school will be preparing for the Alice Festival next week," Mikan said, beaming with a smile of radiance. "I'm so excited. I wonder what my class will be doing." She tapped her chin, thinking frivolously.

"Whatever it is, I know I won't like it," Natsume blurted as he remembered what the Special Ability Class did last year and the year before. It was surely not a joke. He had the urge to burn a certain shadow manipulator for using his Mikan to attract the attention of thousands of boys and some girls. Well, he did like Mikan's sexy cat-costume, but a lot of guys drooled at the sight of her. It drove Natsume so crazy that he almost burned the props. It was a good thing Mikan nullified his fire. The Alice Festival two years back was a lot worse. Natsume could remember it like yesterday. The Special Ability Class or more like, the shadow prince made his girlfriend wore a bunny girl outfit with the ears, tail, and everything. The outfit was way too revealing. Natsume had to stick close to Mikan to keep some ill-mannered boys away. 

"You always say that, Natsume," Mikan said, poking his chest playfully. "But you always end up helping my class. It's like you're a part of the Special Ability Class instead of the Dangerous Ability Class." 

The Dangerous Ability Class was still not allowed to join the Alice Festival. The Academy wanted them to be hidden and secretive from the eyes of the innocent. This class was, after all, like an occult and many of the students here were powerful and ruthless. Natsume still does missions for the Academy, but not as life threatening as before. His missions now were a lot safer, which doesn't involve any guns, blood or the use of his Alice. 

"It's not like I want to," Natsume said, turning his head back to look the bushes. When he saw the bushes move, he placed an arm over Mikan's shoulders and hauled her closer to his body. "Let's head to the classroom now. I'm tired of walking." He had a feeling that those beings hidden in that bush were none other than Mikan's admirers. He was still as sharp as a cat. 

"Ohh… But it's way too early. I'm sure nobody's at the classroom yet." Mikan tried to convince him to stay outside and to enjoy the scenery. But Natsume insisted that they should go inside. She was about to shout at him, but the young fire-caster dragged her inside the building where they were away from those prying eyes. 

"Man, that Hyuuga is sharp!" One of the spies, who happened to be Kawashima Kyo, emerged from the bushes and stretched out his arms. 

The other spy came out and brushed off some leaves from his messed-up black hair with green highlights. Hibiki Ryou threw his best friend a glare and hit him on the head. "Idiot, we look like some desperate stalkers here. I can't believe I agreed to come and spy with you." He slid his hands into his pockets and sighed in frustration. 

Kyo rubbed his poor head. "Ryou, you didn't have to hit me so hard!" he exclaimed. 

"Remember, Kyo, we're going to start our plans today." Ryou pointed a finger at his friend, a smirk plastered on his face, as a slight wind blew through their hair. "We can't mess up, understand?" 

The heterochromatic boy nodded his head like a puppy. "I will do my best. This is for Mikan-sama!" He patted Ryou's shoulder and smiled widely. He saw a leaf on Ryou's head and took it. He swayed the leaf in front of his face before releasing it from his grasp. 

Ryou leaned his back against the tree and looked up at the sky. "For Mikan-sama…" he muttered maliciously. He pulled out a picture of Mikan in a cat-girl costume and smiled at it. 

* * *

There was still thirty minutes left till class will officially start. The room of Class B of the middle school division had only two occupants in the room. The two were awfully quiet, as the Natsume busied himself with his manga, while Mikan was sitting on her desk and swinging her legs back and forth. The brunette turned to the window and saw two birds playing together. She wondered if the birds were a couple or just plain playmates. It was such a cute sight to see the little animals. For the next few minutes Mikan stared at the wonderful view outside. She doesn't seem to notice that her boyfriend kept throwing quick glances at her legs. 

He could feel hot blood rushing through his face. Since she was sitting on top of her desk, Natsume had full view of her long and slender legs. He also noticed that her skirt was shorter than before. Did she purposely wear her skirt higher or was she just getting taller? He wondered wildly in his head. He did not blush, but his heart was pumping mad. He couldn't get his eyes off of her. He was starting to crave for her sweet taste again. He was losing his self-control. He worried about his sexual urges. He had nearly tried to do it with her several times already, but he realized that at those times, he was still young at heart and had more restraint. He shook his head and set his crimson eyes on his manga, hoping he would forget what he saw. 

"Natsume, do you think we'll have a pop quiz on Math today?" she asked, looking innocently, as she crawled her way to him on the desk. 

"Don't tell me you didn't study?" Natsume said matter-of-factly, as he struggled not to look at her. He was clenching his manga tight. 

She chuckled. "Math is just so hard to understand. I hate the subject." 

"It's not hard at all, idiot. Your brain is just too slow to comprehend the equations." 

"And your brain is as big as your ego, jerk," the brunette countered, sticking out her tongue. "I'm just not good at Math, okay?!" 

The raven-haired boy looked up from his manga to Mikan. He was a bit shocked to see her right in front of him. She was still sitting on the desk, but this time her legs were on top as well. His mind began to wonder what it would be like to completely taste her. The taste would probably be heavenly. Slowly, the wondering began to turn into a full blown fantasy. He couldn't hold it in any longer. His heart was going to burst. And when he took a deep breath, he pushed the young brunette down on the desk, went on top, and kissed her soft lips. His girl always tasted good, but he wanted more of her sweetness. He was insanely obsessed with her. 

Mikan was lying on the desk, shocked and uneasy. Her cheeks burned in deep red. The boy broke the kiss to look at her face. Ignoring her troubled eyes, he assaulted her with butterfly kisses on the neck. He loved doing that. Mikan closed her eyes in pleasure as Natsume started to lick her lips. He intertwined his fingers through her brown locks and removed the ribbon holding her ponytail. He bit her neck. He was messing her up. He inhaled her sweet scent of tangerine and continued to kiss her violently. Almost desperately, he grazed his fingertips on her smooth thighs. The girl let out a small moan. 

Suddenly, they heard some voices outside the room as well as footsteps. The two broke their kiss and looked into each other eyes. They panted heavily as beads of sweat trailed down their faces. Love and lust were present in their eyes. Natsume bent down and kissed her temple before getting off the desk. He offered her a hand, which she gladly took, and helped her up. 

In a matter of seconds, a crowd of students came into the room, chatting away with their fellow classmates. Anna and Nonoko went over to the couple and greeted them with smiles on their faces. As usual, the fire-caster didn't bother to reply, but Mikan greeted them back. 

"Mikan-chan, what time did you wake up?" Anna asked. 

"Four o'clock," replied Mikan. 

"What?" Nonoko gasped. "That's so early. We were quite surprised when we found no one sleeping in your sleeping bag." 

"Sorry about that…" Mikan lightly laughed. "It's just that I had a nightmare and I was afraid of going back to sleep." 

"If that's the case, no more horror movies for you," Anna said, clasping Mikan's hands firmly. 

"Thank you, Anna-chan!" Mikan said happily. She would never learn to like creepy stuffs, so it was better to stay away from them. Ghosts, ghouls, and monsters were a big NO for her. She would prefer drama and comedy any day. Sometimes she wished Hotaru could share her interest in movies. But her devilish friend was as scary as that girl in _The Ring_. 

"Huh?" Nonoko noticed something on Mikan's neck. "Umm… Mikan-chan, you have bite marks on your neck." She pointed out, curiosity written on her face. 

Mikan covered her neck with her hand as Natsume hid his eyes under his bangs. Natsume knew very well that he made those bite marks on her neck. He hoped that his girlfriend can come up with a good excuse. It would be embarrassing to tell others about their little session before class, even though he enjoyed it so much. 

"Did you get bitten?" Anna asked, bringing her face closer to Mikan's. She removed Mikan's hand and took a good look at her neck. There was something about the bite marks that doesn't seem right. She eyed her brunette friend worriedly. She could see in Mikan's big amber eyes that she was nervous. 

"Wha-what… is… it?" Mikan stuttered as she swallowed hard. The sight of Anna's blue eyes made her more nervous. 

Anna and Nonoko exchanged glances. These two girls were not dense. In fact, they were experts when it comes to love and romance. Judging from those bite marks, they knew that something happened between Mikan and Natsume. Fortunately for them, the girls have no intention of spilling the beans to other people. It would be just wrong. But they felt the need to give some worldly advice to their brunette friend before something else happens. 

"Mikan-chan, did you and Natsume umm…" Nonoko was trying to find the right words to say. She didn't want to offend Mikan with strong and straightforward words. She also knew how sensitive the topic was to girls too. "Did you guys do **IT**?" she whispered into Mikan's ear. 

And again Mikan wondered what **IT **meant. "I don't know what you're talking about," she answered honestly. 

Natsume managed to hear Nonoko say the word **IT **and sank his head down. About ten minutes ago, he really had plans on doing **IT**with Mikan. His craving for her was a lot stronger than before. 

"Nonoko-chan, maybe Natsume-kun was teasing her like usual," Anna whispered into her best friend's ear so no one else would hear. 

"Maybe you're right," Nonoko replied. She looked apologetically at Mikan and bowed her head. "I'm sorry for asking such a strange question, Mikan-chan." 

Mikan shook her head. "Don't worry about it, Nonoko-chan." She let out a small laugh. 

"We'll be going to our seats now." Anna nudged her best friend forward. "Please excuse us." She went to her seat, which was on the other side of the room, together with Nonoko. The two quickly started a conversation about their favorite Misaki-sensei as they sat down. 

Sighing in relief, Mikan turned to her boyfriend and poked him on the head. "It's your fault for giving me these bite marks." She rubbed her neck and puffed her cheeks. "Because of these marks, Anna-chan and Nonoko-chan got suspicious." 

"So what?" he replied in a plain tone. He looked at her, noticing how cute she looked with her cheeks all puffed up. But he didn't give any reaction to this. "Don't be bothered so much by insignificant things like that." He flipped his manga open and started reading it. 

Mikan never thought of his kisses as insignificant things. She swiftly took the manga from his hands and hid it behind her. "I'm not yet done talking to you, Natsume," she said seriously. 

"Give it back right now," Natsume demanded, attempting to grab it. 

"No way!" Mikan backed away from him until she was at the edge of her seat. She was going to make a run for it, but the flame-caster instantly caught her wrist and forced her to sit on his lap. Mikan didn't want to lose to Natsume, so she hugged the manga tight against her chest. She stuck out her tongue and grinned. 

He would've kissed her by now if it weren't for the other students around the room. "I'll burn you if you don't give it back," he threatened, snaking his eyes around her petite waist. 

"You can't burn me, Natsume, because I'll just nullify your Alice," she said knowingly. She was no pushover when it comes to her Alice. She can control her Alice perfectly like Natsume. 

Natsume shrugged. He hated it when his girlfriend was right and he was wrong. "It wasn't insignificant, got it?" he grumbled, rolling his eyes away. "Now stop acting so childish and give me back my manga." He put out his hand in an almost begging way. 

"Flirting again as usual, huh?" a cold voice spoke. 

The couple peered over their shoulders and saw the blackmailing queen with the Baka Canon in her hand. She has this strange and eerie twinkle in her eyes that screamed the word evil. She was irritated at the fact that Natsume has once again broken another rule of her do's and don'ts: _Never flirt with Mikan inside the classroom_. Hotaru needed a much bigger weapon to set things straight in the head of the genius flame-caster. Sadly, her latest invention was still in the building stage. 

"Give that back and get off of him, dummy," Hotaru told Mikan. 

Mikan did as what she was told and motioned herself beside her best friend. She could sense that Hotaru was not in the good mood, so she didn't attempt to hug her. She cast one gentle look at the stoic inventor and smiled. Her smile would always enlighten the cold-hearted girl, even in the darkest of moments. 

Hotaru saw the bite marks on her neck and began to wonder. "Was he molesting you again?" she asked. The inventor always had a way with words that were so straightforward and frank. 

Mikan suddenly remembered her little session with Natsume a while ago and blushed furiously. She shook her head in dismay. "No, he wasn't! He wasn't doing anything indecent, Hotaru." 

"Oh really?" Hotaru narrowed her gaze and pointed the Baka Canon at Natsume. "Idiot, I thought I told you not to break any of the rules." 

"Who cares about your dumb rules anyway?" Natsume said, looking irritated. 

She'd never called her _sacred rules _dumb. Under normal circumstance, she wouldn't even mind Natsume's insults and arrogance. But he was really testing her patience. She didn't make those rules just to torture or annoy Natsume. Those rules were there for the sake of her best friend, who was prone to the sexual harassments of Natsume. He was such a pain to her. With Natsume acting like a jerk all the time, Hotaru wasn't sure of Mikan's future anymore. She was tempted to shoot him with her invention, but she restrained herself from doing so. An early morning battle between a weird inventor and a pissed-off flame-caster would just lead to devastating results, not to mention a free-ticket to detention if one of their teachers spotted them. 

"If I were you, I'd take on those rules seriously," she grimly said. "But I guess you're a much stupider being than some people I know." 

Natsume twitched both eyebrows. "And you're a freak." 

Her finely honed instincts kept her from arguing. Insults about Natsume could wait. Wearing a poker face, Hotaru turned to her brunette best friend. "Mikan, meet me in my lab after class," she said.

"Huh? And Why?" Mikan asked. 

"You'll find out later." After saying that, Hotaru went to her seat quietly. 

"Hmm… Maybe Hotaru's going to give me something nice!" Mikan took her seat and smiled at Natsume. "Or maybe she's going to treat me some Fluff Puffs!" She giggled lightheartedly like a wee child. 

"That stupid inventor will never treat you, idiot," Natsume said, putting his feet on top of the desk. He placed both hands behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. "She's really stingy." 

"You're right," Mikan replied, lowering her head. Knowing her best friend best, Mikan felt disappointed because her fantasy of Hotaru treating her got shattered. "Better stick to my dreams." 

Nogi Ruka appeared carrying his adorable little rabbit friend. He offered the couple a smile. He was the best friend of Natsume, and a nice guy. He had always been good friends with Mikan, had lots of admirers, and had been a popular character in plays during the Alice Festival. His rabbit friend, known as _Pyon-Pyon_ by Mikan, had been with him ever since his elementary days. His love life had pretty much fallen apart, when Mikan chose Natsume instead of him. But he didn't get angry at Mikan or Natsume. He loved the two so much, and he was happy for the both of them. It was hard for him to let Mikan go, but he eventually did with tears. Although his friends kept telling him he should find another girl, he just looked at them as though they were crazy, and told them he had no time. But it was more than that. Ruka had never loved anyone except Mikan, and couldn't bear the thought of going out with another girl. 

"Good morning, you two," he greeted as he sat down. After all these years, he still sat together with Natsume and Mikan at the back of the classroom. 

"Hi Ruka-pyon!" the cheerful brunette greeted him back. She tossed her long hair back and leaned towards the rabbit on Ruka's lap. Since Natsume was sitting in between Ruka and Mikan, the girl harmlessly placed her hand on his lap and proceeded to pat the little animal. Natsume felt like bursting, but Mikan wasn't aware of him. "Ruka-pyon, are you going to star in a play again?" She looked up at the blonde, still patting the rabbit. 

The mere mention of _play_made his hairs stand. For the past four years, he had been starring in Narumi's eccentric plays, which can either be embarrassing or downright insane. Sometimes he thought of his teacher as an alien from another planet. At least he was playing as male characters, unlike before when he was still ten years old. The Snow White gig scarred him for life. "Yeah… The title of the play is _The Princess and the Pauper. _I'll be playing the part of the princess's bodyguard and best friend." 

"I've heard about that one before," she smiled, pulling herself back. But she failed to remove her hand on Natsume's thigh. "It's a story about a princess and a pauper who look exactly alike." 

Ruka nodded. He was excited for this play, since the one who wrote the script wasn't Narumi-sensei. This year's play for the Alice Festival was going to be a normal one. He also liked the character he'll be playing. "By the way, Narumi-sensei was wondering if you could act in the play again." 

"Me again?" Mikan muttered, as Natsume's crimson eyes grew wide. "Ever since that Snow White play, I've become a permanent cast in your class plays. Why can't he just ask the other girls in your class, Ruka-pyon? I bet they're more talented than me." Mikan was being humble like always. She wasn't the type to brag about her abilities and strengths to other people. She removed her hand from Natsume's thigh and tapped her cheek, thinking about the play, the stage, and the thrill of acting. 

Natsume's heart finally settled down. He couldn't bear of Mikan's touch any longer. He was so hungry for her that he could lose his self-control any moment. His hormones were causing him way more trouble than he'd expected. 

Before the blonde boy could speak up, another blonde appeared behind him and saluted the students in an amusing way. He was good-looking, even though he looked feminine, and he has a pair of tantalizing amethyst orbs. He was none other than Narumi-sensei, the outgoing teacher of Class 2-B. On the day Mikan graduated from the elementary branch, he requested the administration to transfer him to the middle school department. He wanted to stick close to his favorite student as much as possible. 

"Mikan-chan, I can't have anyone acting the heroine except you," Narumi told her, as she threw him a questionable look. "You're good in acting, dancing, and singing. You have all the good qualities of being an actress." 

She was flattered and all, but she wasn't so sure if she should let herself be the star again. She would like to give others the chance to experience being the heroine. Plus, she wasn't even in the Somatic Type Class. 

Narumi wasn't kidding about Mikan's fabulous acting skills. But he also had another reason for making Mikan act on stage and that was because of her popularity. Mikan, even without the help of Pheromones, can attract thousands of people. "Mikan-chan, you'll be playing the princess, okay?" 

"Umm… Well…" 

"She's not going to act in your play, stupid Naru," Natsume growled, shooting the teacher a death glare. Aside from Tsubasa's costume ideas, he also hated Narumi for using his girlfriend as a crowd magnet for plays. He had secretly tried to stop Mikan from acting, but she herself doesn't seem to mind it. 

"You're just jealous because Mikan-chan's going to have some romantic scenes with Ruka-kun here." Narumi patted Ruka's head and chuckled lightly. 

Ruka blushed and swallowed hard. He couldn't believe that his teacher actually said that. He was thrilled to act together with Mikan and to share romantic scenes with her, but he feared his best friend's jealousy. He was lucky enough to be Natsume's best friend or else he would be burned like the other suitors of the fair brunette. 

"I'll burn you, Naru, and I'm not joking," Natsume grumbled, his crimson eyes growing fiercer. 

The teacher sweat dropped, feeling nervous of the flame-caster's wrath. "Time to start the class!" he said, trying to ignore the piercing stare. He walked up in front and started the class by checking the attendance. 

* * *

"I'll be leaving tomorrow for a convention in Europe," Hotaru said as soon as she and Mikan got into the laboratory. 

"Why are you only telling me this now?!" Mikan uttered, flailing her arms up and down. 

"Because you were too busy hanging around that perverted jerk," Hotaru answered, her face darkening. Truth to be known, Hotaru felt insecure whenever she sees Mikan and Natsume together. She was happy for Mikan, but she can't help feeling down and jealous. Before Natsume came to her life, Mikan had always given Hotaru all her attention. Nonetheless, Hotaru was mature enough to understand her best friend's love life. "And I don't want you annoying me about the convention. That's why I've kept it a secret." 

Mikan pouted. "HOTARU!" she shouted and turned away. "You're always like this!" 

"And I don't care," the inventor countered as she pulled a chair and sat down. "Anyway, I'll be gone for one month. After the convention, I'll be working for a client. I'll be heavily guarded by some elite Alice bodyguards." 

"ONE MONTH!!" Mikan gasped with a mouth wide open. Did she hear that right? Her best friend would be gone for one whole month and she was okay with that. "But you're going to miss the festival!"

"I'm aware of that, dummy." 

"Hotaru, you're not serious, are you?" Mikan fiddled with her thumbs. It wouldn't be the same without Hotaru around for the festival. 

"I'm always serious about these things." Hotaru sensed the sadness in her amber eyes. "My client is willing to pay me big." 

Mikan sighed. She should've known that there was money involve. Her inventor-friend was still greedy when it comes to money. That was a trait she could never change in Hotaru. "Then I wish you good luck!" She put on a smile—one that Hotaru always adored. 

Well, Hotaru didn't expect Mikan not to make so much fuss about her trip, but she was glad. "Thanks…" she muttered. She turned to the table and grabbed a cherry-blossom shaped pin. She approached the brunette and pinned the said accessory on the collar of her uniform. As expected, Hotaru thought, cherry blossom looked good on Mikan. "Invention Number 3173, the Sakura Sensor. It can change its color depending on the mood of the user. It can act as a tracking device and it comes with its very own palm computer. Price of invention is 3000 rabbits." Hotaru was explaining the details to practically no one. 

Hotaru was so strange, Mikan thought silently, wondering who Hotaru was talking to. She knew Hotaru was different and goofy at some point, but talking to no one was a psychological problem already. "Umm… What is this for, Hotaru?" she asked, pointing at the accessory. 

"This will help me keep track of your moods everyday," Hotaru answered, pulling out a pink palm computer with a cherry blossom logo on it. She flipped it open and pressed some buttons. "Since I won't be here for an entire month, I can't watch over you." 

"Don't worry about a thing," Mikan said. "I'll be fine!" 

Hotaru wasn't too sure to leave Mikan without anyone to defend her against a certain perverted flame-caster. She can trust him in driving away Mikan's fan boys, but he himself was dangerous. For the past few days, she had been observing Natsume, and had been getting weird vibes from him. She can't ask Ruka to take her place, knowing that he still has feelings for Mikan. She has thought about Tobita Yuu, the class representative, but she knew how busy he was. She wanted to ask Andou Tsubasa, the fine-looking shadow prince of the high school branch, to guard Mikan, but she knew that the he will make Natsume more aggressive and jealous. 

"If you're happy or sad, the color of the Sakura will change and it will let the computer know," the inventor explained in simple terms to make Mikan understand. 

"Okay, I get it." 

"Knowing you, I'm sure you'll get into a lot of trouble once I leave." 

"No, I won't!" 

"Oh really? I doubt it." Hotaru turned around, letting her back faced the brunette. "Listen, I won't be able to work properly if you're sad. So I want you to smile for me everyday, Mikan." Her poker face was slowly disappearing. 

"Hotaru…" Mikan was stunned at Hotaru's words that for a moment she couldn't react. Considering how cold and rational Hotaru can be, she was still a kind-hearted person inside. Mikan was thankful to have her as a best friend. "I swear that I'll keep smiling for you. Knowing that I'm happy will make you happy as well, right?" 

The inventor peered over her shoulders to look at the brunette smiling like an angel. "That's why I gave you that invention." She was still worried about leaving Mikan, but she told herself to trust her more. Mikan can fend for herself after all. "I'll be leaving early in the morning. Since you're a late riser, don't bother seeing me off anymore." 

"Eh? Hotaru, I want to say goodbye to you." 

"Idiot, you make it sound like that I'm leaving for good." 

"Still, I…" 

Uttering a raw sound of frustration, Hotaru turned around to face her. "Look, if you want to say something to me, say it right now." 

"I'm going to miss you so much," Mikan said as tears formed in her beautiful amber eyes. Things will definitely not be the same without Hotaru around. 

Hotaru was going to miss the brunette a lot too, but she wouldn't dare to say it out loud. She was not good at expressing her feelings. She was very down-to-earth, unlike her cheerful and energetic best friend. "Come here, dummy," she said. 

"You…y-you…" Mikan lunged forward and hugged the inventor tight. "You better take care of yourself, okay?" 

"I'm not like you who depend too much on others," Hotaru replied, almost smiling. "I can take care of myself." She gently ran her hands through her brown locks and inhaled the scent of tangerine. As the two parted, they stared into each other's eyes for a while. Hotaru saw a stray tear in her eye and wiped it away with her thumb. 

"You're probably gonna say that I look ugly when I cry," Mikan said, lightly laughing. 

"You're a lot prettier with a smile, dummy." 

"Thanks, Hotaru!" Mikan once again smiled like an angel, making the Sakura Sensor change its color into hot pink. Of course, Mikan was happy, not only because Hotaru comforted her, but also because of the compliment. Hotaru was truly her one-of-a-kind best friend. 

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: I'm pretty shocked. This is only chapter 2, and yet it's so long. Maybe I'm too inspired for this. I just don't know why anymore. I think Natsume is getting way too aggressive. His hormones are getting the best of him. Hotaru is going to leave for one month. With Hotaru gone, Natsume is not bounded by the rules anymore. This is gonna be bad for Mikan, if you get what I mean. I'll update chapter 3 soon. Please review and no flaming. 


	3. The Princess of Temptation

JC: Wow! I've got so many reviews! Thank you so much for the support. More love for Mikan and Natsume!! With Hotaru gone, no one can stop Natsume now. What will happen to Mikan? There's also the fan boys issue. The Alice Festival is coming too! Please read and enjoy. 

Note: So you can imagine Kyo and Ryou a lot better, I'll just say that Kyo's unruly hairstyle is kinda like Lee Syaoran from Card Captor, only his hair is platinum-blue. On the other hand, Ryou has the same hairstyle as Athrun Zala from Gundam SEED, only he has black hair with green highlights. 

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 3: The Princess of Temptation 

"I'm going to miss Hotaru," Mikan declared as she sat gracefully in the comfy carnation pink first-class seat. She was in her Special Star room together with Natsume. "She'll be gone for one whole month." It would be her first time to celebrate the Alice Festival without Hotaru. The stoic inventor usually makes a lot of profit during the Alice Festival—whether it was selling Mikan's and Ruka's pictures to fans or to sell her inventions to rich and powerful sponsors. She grimaced, changing the Sakura Sensor's color to gray, which meant sadness. And when she saw the sensor, she shook her head and smiled again, changing it back to its original color. 

Natsume, being a good observer, noticed that Sakura accessory on her collar. He slightly lifted her collar and stared at it for a while. "What the heck is this?" he asked. 

"It's one of Hotaru's inventions, the Sakura Sensor," she answered, feeling proud about her best friend. She had always admired Hotaru for her innovative mind. "It changes colors whenever I change my mood." She was expecting the raven-haired boy to be impressed by it, but Natsume just shrugged and turned away. 

"That's a lame invention just like that lame inventor," he said without a care. It was hard to impress a guy like him. Hotaru's inventions didn't appeal to him—not even once. Besides, the inventor annoyed him so much with her so-called rules. He was sick of listening to her sermons almost everyday. He was aware of Hotaru's love and care for Mikan, but she was going too far. If Hotaru was a guy, she would probably be Mikan's boyfriend by now, and thank goodness she wasn't. 

"Hey, it's not lame!" Mikan yelled, inching her face closer to Natsume. "Take back what you said!" She placed both of her hands on his lap, took his chin, and forced him to face her. Once their eyes met, Mikan cast him one serious look. 

Things were getting hot for Natsume. The fact that Mikan was touching his lap and his face made his heart pumped twice as fast than normal. He stared at her face, admiring her flawless beauty and her sparkling amber eyes. Again, Natsume felt like the luckiest guy on Earth. His girlfriend was as beautiful as a goddess. He didn't know what to say, as his emotions were getting the best of him again. His mind drifted back to their little session this morning in the classroom. At that time, he wasn't really thinking right. He just pinned her down and kissed her so violently. He wanted to taste her completely, but he tried to do it with her in the classroom. But they weren't in a public place at the moment. They were in her room and the door was locked. Natsume was getting naughty ideas in his head again. 

"What's wrong with you?!" Mikan was completely baffled by his silence. She was expecting some comeback or an insult, but Natsume stayed quiet as he looked at her with a different spark in his crimson eyes. Although she wasn't aware that lust was consuming him, Mikan felt something different in him. It was like the time when he kissed her in the hallways and in the classroom. Somehow she became wary of him. She took her hands and stood up. "If you don't want to take back what you said, fine!" She only said that to ease her nervousness. Natsume was staring at her like there was something stuck on her pretty face. 

"Tch." Natsume lowered his head, hiding away his red cheeks. What was wrong with him? He was a perverted boyfriend who gets turned on with one smooth move from his girlfriend. He wondered why he couldn't control his sexual urges anymore. Was it because Mikan was hotter than ever? Natsume winced at the thought. 

The brunette glanced at her clock. "Natsume, it's almost time for dinner," said Mikan. She turned to the raven-haired boy and smiled. "I'm gonna change, okay? Why don't you head back to your room and change too?" 

"Sure… Whatever…" He picked up his manga, stood up, walked up to the door, opened it and stepped out of her room. He let out a raw sound of frustration as he closed the door behind him. His feelings, his love, and his hormones were running wild within him. He was afraid of what he might do to Mikan. What if he made her pregnant? Wait, pregnant? Why was he even thinking such things? He was officially screwed. He had a hot and sexy girlfriend to blame for his cravings. He needed his self-control back. Natsume ran his fingers through his unruly raven hair and went to his bedroom to prepare. He tried to think of something else, other than Mikan, but no matter how hard he tried, his mind still drifted back to the gorgeous brunette. 

* * *

The two representatives of the Mikan fan club were on the move. They were hiding somewhere near Mikan's room, waiting for the infamous Natsume to leave her alone. After they saw Natsume going into his room, they stepped out into the light carrying digital cameras in their hands. And what was those cameras for? They were for taking pictures of their princess. Taking pictures of girls with Moe traits was a hobby for Kyo. On the other hand, Ryou, the perverted one, was planning to take pictures of her in the shower. The thought of seeing Mikan's body made the guy drool like crazy. 

"Ryou, you're drooling like an idiot," Kyo said, staring at his friend with disgust. He knew what was in Ryou's mind and he wasn't against it. Kyo was no pervert like Ryou, but he couldn't do anything about his best friend's eccentric personality when it comes to girls. He doesn't attempt to stop Ryou from doing his perverted business either. 

A bursting feeling in his heart, Ryou wiped the drool off with his sleeves and marched up to Mikan's bedroom door. He turned the knob, and as expected the door was locked. No worries, though, because Ryou can easily unlock it without a key. In fact, his Alice was Magnetism, giving him the ability to create magnetic fields, which he uses to manipulate ferrous metals. He can project ferrous metals at high velocity, liquefy and reshape them. The door knob was ferrous metal. He activated his Alice with a snap of his hand and unlocked the door. He opened the door and went into the room right away as Kyo followed next. 

"Oh man… This room is huge." Kyo was fascinated with the Special Star room. He could not believe that a dorm room could be so elegant. The Special Star room was like a room in a five-star hotel. "Man, Mikan-sama is living like a princess," he muttered as he snapped a picture of the king-sized bed. 

"What are you saying?" Ryou snapped, taking a seat on the comfy couch. "Mikan-sama is a princess!" 

"Yeah…yeah…" Kyo glanced around the room where Mikan was nowhere to be found. He guessed Mikan was in the shower. Wait, shower? Kyo's face flushed up as he set his heterochromatic eyes at the bathroom door. He was right. He could hear the water running from inside. "Mikan-sama is taking a shower…" 

"Is that so?!" Ryou beamed, hopping off the couch. He held his camera tight as he motioned himself over to the bathroom door. He leaned his ear against it and heard a beautiful voice humming a sweet tune. He sighed dreamily. His dream girl's voice was so pleasant. "I've decided. I'm going to take her picture while she's in there." 

Kyo's eyes grew wide as marbles. His friend was a total maniac. "Are you serious? Mikan-sama will hate you for that." Of course, any girl would hate a perverted guy who tries to take your picture in the shower. 

"Don't worry. She won't know." Ryou snickered like a sly devil. He used his Alice again, unlocked the bathroom door, and turned the knob. He grinned maliciously, feeling excited to see Mikan's well-developed body. As he pushed the door open, the first thing he saw was the silhouette of Mikan behind the shower curtains. He took a moment to glance around the bathroom, which was so huge by the way. He then proceeded to the shower quietly. 

"That Ryou…" Kyo heaved a sigh. Once a pervert, always a pervert, he told himself. He walked across the room to Mikan's study table and saw a picture of Mikan and Natsume in a frame. He picked it up for a closer look. Jealousy filled his heart in an instant as he saw Mikan smiling like an angel in Natsume's arms. He wondered how a sweet girl like Mikan ended up with an arrogant jerk like Natsume. It was wrong, very wrong. As a devoted fan of Mikan, he had sworn to the other members that he will tear Natsume and Mikan apart. 

_Almost there… _The perverted Ryou reached for the curtain, his hand trembling in excitement. He was going to see her naked body. He bet that he'll be the first guy to see her body. He felt as happy as his heart skipped a beat. _Mikan-sama… _He touched the curtain and swallowed hard. But before he could swing the curtain, an object, a rather hard one, hit his head. He didn't make a fuss, but he was sure mad. He looked down and saw the object that hit him, which was a thick manga. He knew one person who loved manga so much and it was none other than his best friend, Kyo. But Kyo would never dare to disturb his perverted antics. He turned his head around and saw two furious crimson eyes. 

The person who threw the manga was Natsume. His eyes were enraged and his fists were clenched tight. He was wearing a plain black shirt with red sleeves, dark blue jeans, and a pair of black Nike shoes. Standing right beside him was a trembling Kyo, holding a burnt camera in his hand. Ryou guessed that Natsume burned the camera. That Natsume was always a kill joy, Ryou thought bitterly as he held his own camera securely. The young brunette, oblivious to what was happening, hummed her favorite tune in the shower as she rubbed her head with shampoo. Ryou really wanted to see her body. With a discontented face, he exited the bathroom and closed the door without a sound. He faced Natsume and smirked confidently. 

"What the hell are you two doing here?!" Natsume questioned with a deadly tone. He looked like he was about to murder someone, as a dark aura surrounded him like blazing fire. He was angry, not to mention jealous as well. 

"It's rude to butt into other people's business, Hyuuga," Ryou answered, running his hand through his black hair with green highlights. His business was more or less the perverted one. 

Natsume gritted his teeth. "Bastard! I have every right to butt into your stupid business, because it involves her!" He summoned a fireball before him, ready to burn the overconfident perverted guy. 

Kyo was crying waterfall tears, because his precious camera was burnt to a crisp thanks to Natsume. He won't forgive Natsume for that. His hatred for him now grew more. He marched up to the arrogant guy and punched him on the face. "You're gonna pay for that camera!" he shouted, massaging his fist. 

"Wow… Kyo, you surprised me there," Ryou said, smirking. He didn't expect Natsume to get hit that easily. How pathetic! He let out a light laugh and motioned over to Kyo's side. He patted his best friend's shoulder and gave him a thumb up. "For an anime weirdo, you're not bad!" 

"I don't know if I should feel flattered or not," Kyo replied in a bored tone, looking pissed. He scratched his head and turned to Natsume again, who just got up from the attack. Kyo pointed a finger at him and told him to give Mikan up. He even told him that he wasn't worthy of Mikan's love. He spoke like true Mikan-fan indeed. That was Kyo for you. 

"I don't give a damn." Natsume conjured two fire balls in each hand. His glare was murderous and it kind of scared the pants of the two Mikan fan boys. His patience had reached the limit. He could no longer go easy on the two deranged fans. He threw the fire balls at them, and as expected, they dodged it by jumping sideward. Natsume quickly ran towards Kyo, who jumped to the left, and grabbed him by the collar. "Bastard!" He punched the heterochromatic boy on the abdomen and kicked him away. 

"Damn you, Hyuuga!" Ryou charged towards Natsume, but the latter took a step to the left and evaded Ryou. 

"You're too slow," Natsume muttered, as Ryou narrowed his gaze at him. When Ryou tried to attack him again, Natsume grabbed his wrist and put him in a dead lock. "You and your ill intentions on her... You're the one who has no right." He pushed him to the floor and kicked him hard. 

Ryou was stunned. No wonder the other boys were afraid to court the lovely Mikan, they were too afraid of facing the wrath of her boyfriend! But he wasn't going to give up. He knew he could beat Natsume if he tried hard enough. He may be shunned and hurt at the moment, but he swore to get back at the flame-caster. He was not afraid to face Natsume. When he heard the shower ceased from the bathroom, his nerves froze up and his jaw dropped. His expression was really funny. He could laugh at himself, but he thought of getting out first. He can't let Mikan see him in such a distressed state. He stood up, went to his almost knocked-out best friend, and dragged him to the door. 

"Hey, don't you dare show your faces to me again," Natsume growled seriously. 

"I'm not through with you yet, Hyuuga," Ryou retorted, his temper rising. He felt like attacking Natsume again, but he needed to act cool. "Just you wait… I'll definitely break you two up." With those words, he stomped out of the room, pulling young Kyo along with him. 

Nothing can break them apart, thought Natsume. He would never let anything happen to their relationship. Mikan was too important to him. His love for her was too much for plain old words. He couldn't describe it. Those fan boys were always trouble to him. The Academy was full of them. Frankly, those fan boys were more annoying than his and Ruka's fan girls. When would they stop pestering them? Maybe if they would get married already and have children? Although Natsume loved the idea of making children with his brunette, he immediately shook his naughty thoughts again. 

The bathroom door opened and out came a cheerful brunette completely dressed up. She was wearing a long-sleeved salmon turtle neck top, a dark red pleated skirt, thigh-high black stockings, and a pair of ankle-length black boots. She looked quite simple yet elegant. Mikan was always blooming with beauty, especially in Natsume's eyes. She presented him her trademark smile and held his hand. "Come on, let's go!" she beamed. She got pretty hungry after the shower and she would love to eat tonight's specialty. 

Natsume gave a slight nod and walked hand in hand with Mikan to the dining hall. He didn't want to tell her about those two perverted boys who were in her room a while ago, because he knew she was going to freak out. Not only that, Natsume knew very well that Mikan considered those two as her friends, which annoyed him so much. His girlfriend was really a dense person, completely unaware of those boys' feelings for her. But he didn't hate her dense personality. Actually, he adored it. 

* * *

Mikan woke up early the next day with Goosebumps all over her arms. She had just had a crazy but wonderful dream. She had dreamed that she was standing on the stage in the auditorium at school, wearing a beautiful dress and a diamond tiara. In front of her were rows and rows of students and teachers, cheering and shouting, "Mikan! Mikan!" Her fan club representatives, Ryou and Kyo, with huge megaphones in their hands, led the cheering, while the school band played a very sweet song. Narumi-sensei had just hand her a bouquet of red flowers. 

Mikan laughed out loud. It was a silly dream, but it left her with an incredible feeling of anticipation. Maybe she shouldn't act again in the play. She wanted to give others a chance to act as the heroine. But Narumi-sensei, her favorite teacher, thought she was the most perfect girl and the best qualified of all his students. That in itself was terrific. 

She jumped out of bed and hurried into the bathroom to brush her teeth. After that, she hurried back into her room and stood in front of the closet. Today was the day Hotaru will leave for Europe. Last night, before she went to bed, she had told herself that she will do her best at the Alice Festival. Hotaru would be watching her through the Sakura Sensor, and that meant she had to show Hotaru that she will be fine without her. 

She reached into her closet and pulled out her middle school uniform. She slipped into her uniform and into her black boots. Then she fixed her hair just a bit to the left of her forehead with a cherry blossom clip and pinned the Sakura Sensor on her uniform. _Perfect!_Mikan whispered to her self. 

For the next forty-five minutes, Mikan studied her history notes, reading everything until she knew it almost by heart. She didn't want to make any mistakes on her history test later. 

A few seconds later, Natsume appeared at her bedroom door in his uniform, with his hands inside his pockets. "You're up pretty early," he said. "And you're studying?" 

"We have a test later," Mikan replied cheerfully, "and I thought I'd get an early start. I have to maintain my grades, Natsume, since I'm a Special Star like you. Besides, I'm aiming for the Honor Student Award. I want to see Grandpa again." 

"But we already studied last night," Natsume said, taking a seat beside her on the couch. 

"I'm just reviewing, okay?" 

"Whatever…" 

For ten whole minutes, they sat there with silence. Natsume was getting tired of waiting for her and all this silence was making him hungry. Finally, he grabbed Mikan's wrist, dragged her outside, and went downstairs for breakfast. He didn't give a damn about Mikan's whining. His stomach was the priority here. 

Ruka was eating his bacon and eggs, while his little rabbit friend was busy munching on his carrot. When he saw his best friend and his first love, he smiled. "Good morning, Natsume, Sakura." 

Mikan brushed her hand away from Natsume and glared at him for a while. "You're so rude. I was still studying, jerk!" She then turned to Ruka and presented a wide smile. "Good morning, Ruka-pyon!" 

For a moment, Natsume was offended. He didn't like it when his girl greeted another boy first, especially when the boy was his best friend. He was aware of the fact that Ruka was still in love with Mikan. "Polka-dots, let's get some food," he said calmly as he went to the counter, dragging Mikan with him, to get breakfast. 

"Natsume, I can walk on my own!" Mikan exclaimed, pouting like a cute child. 

"You're too slow." 

"And you're too rude!" Mikan took her tray of food and dashed towards Ruka's table. She sat down across Ruka and slammed her fist on the table. "He's such an idiot…" she mumbled. She grabbed her fork, picked up a hotdog from her plate and bit its head off. 

Ruka giggled. "Umm…calm down?" Aside from Hotaru's blackmails and his friends being in danger, he was also afraid Mikan's temper. It was hard to believe that a sweet and angelic girl like Mikan can be so dangerous when mad. He already made a mental note not to provoke Mikan. 

Natsume sat down beside Ruka as he glared at his girlfriend. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. Then, grabbing his fork, he said, "Why do you have to be so damn loud every morning?" 

"And why do you have to be so damn irritating every morning?" she retorted without even looking at him. 

He knew he was irritating her, but he only did it to get her full attention. He didn't bother to reply her sarcastic question, knowing it would lead to more arguments. He silently ate his breakfast without a fuss. 

* * *

When Natsume, Mikan, and Ruka got to school that morning, they found out that Narumi-sensei had already given scripts to his students of the Somatic class. Not only that, the teacher had also assigned Mikan to play the role of the princess without her permission. That burned Natsume up. He was going to cream the blonde teacher if he saw him. He still remembered Narumi telling him about the romantic scenes with Ruka in the play, making him angrier. 

"Sorry about this, Natsume," Ruka said apologetically. "Don't worry… I won't take advantage of Sakura in the play." He was conscious of his best friend's covetous character and he was a bit scared of it. He had seen Natsume stressing so much whenever he and Mikan practiced together for plays. He didn't want to upset Natsume so much, though inside he felt happy whenever he was with Mikan. But because of this happiness, he felt like he was betraying his best friend. 

"It's all right, Ruka," Natsume said, almost grumbling. 

"Narumi-sensei never asks for my permission." Mikan tossed her head timidly. "It's always like this every year." 

Just then, Anna and Nonoko came rushing up to join the three. "We just heard," Nonoko said, breathless. "It's wonderful, Mikan-chan!" 

"I don't know if it's wonderful," Mikan cautioned automatically. 

"You're going to be the leading lady again!" Anna beamed happily, clasping her hands together. Then she looked closely at Mikan and smiled. "I love your hair clip and your new accessory." 

"Mikan-chan, you always look good in anything," Nonoko said. 

The brunette blushed a little, but she managed to smile back. "Thank you…" She felt a little shy and happy at the same time, making the Sakura Sensor turn light pink. 

For the rest of the morning, students came up to Mikan to congratulate her and tell her how happy they were that she was going to star in the play again. Over and over she said to them, "Thank you." She was getting tired of entertaining the students, especially the boys. Whenever some fan boys congratulate her, they would either drool or gawk at her. There was no use pouting over it. She was going to be the princess in the play, so she might as well smile and give her fans what they want. 

"They all know you're going to show a great performance again," Ruka pointed out. 

"I guess you're right," Mikan answered, smiling brightly, as Ruka turned bright red. Some things never changed. Ruka was still a shy boy when it comes to girls, especially to Mikan. He blushes way too easily. 

Natsume was trying to control his rage. Every time a boy approaches Mikan, he would glare relentlessly at him, threatening him to stay away from his girlfriend. Ruka was okay to approach and to talk to her, but he was still wary of him. 

At lunch, Mikan sat with the cast of the _Princess and the Pauper_ so that they could familiarize with themselves. Mikan recognized all of them, since she had been working with them for the past four years. She was pretty close to them too. In fact, she felt like she was truly an Alice of the Somatic Class. Narumi-sensei had pointed out that there will be singing in the play. And then he had pointed out that the costumes of the main actors and actresses were going to be designed and made by someone from the Technical Class. 

Shouda Sumire frowned. She has short, sea-green hair and her dark-green eyes were sharp and aggressive. She possessed the Cat-Dog Physicality Alice, allowing her to have the keen senses and abilities of a dog and cat. Due to her violent personality, Sumire had always been an antagonist for the school plays, a fact which she kept on complaining over and over again to the blonde teacher. For once, she wanted to be the leading lady and to act side by side with her idol, Nogi Ruka. 

"Sensei, please let Permy be the princess," Mikan suggested, noticing the murderous eyes of Sumire. Well, she didn't want the part in the first place, so she doesn't mind giving it to someone else. 

"Who are you calling Permy?!" Sumire shouted with irritation. She had always hated that nickname Mikan gave her. Even the notorious Natsume called her that. How embarrassing! 

Narumi-sensei shook his head in disagreement. "No can do, Mikan-chan," he said. He looked down at the script and sighed. "You're the princess and Sumire-chan will be the wicked queen." 

"So unfair," Sumire said stiffly. Her rival, Mikan, always gets the good part. Well, she didn't hate Mikan for that. Besides, acting as the bad guy was her specialty. Since she can't get the heroine role again, might as well act the villain with grace and poise, she said to herself. "Sakura-san, you better be prepared! As the wicked queen, I won't go easy on you!" She laughed like a true witch. 

Mikan and the others sweat dropped at her maniacal laugh, which was too scary and weird. Nevertheless, Mikan was happy that Sumire accepted her role quietly without too much commotion this time. 

* * *

"Kawashima-kun is just the best!" a long-haired middle school girl squealed, with her hands on her cheeks. After she and her friends saw Kawashima Kyo passing by, they blushed like hell. They were just your typical fan girls who would go gaga over a handsome and good-looking boy. 

Kyo was a fine specimen of the male gender. He may be an anime freak and a total game addict, but he was also a heartthrob. Who could resist his dashing looks, his alluring heterochromatic eyes, and his platinum blue hair? Almost all the girls in the Academy wanted him. But, sad to say, Kyo had only one girl in his mind. He only loved the brunette angel, known as Sakura Mikan. This was a fact known to all girls since he was a representative of the Sakura Mikan-sama Fan Club. 

"I'm so jealous of Sakura-san!" the same girl said. She leaned her back against the wall as her smile turned into a frown. "She always gets the guys. Even though she's already Natsume-kun's girlfriend, a lot of boys are still madly in love with her." 

The girls nodded their heads in agreement. They were jealous of the cheery brunette, but they didn't hate her. Truth to be known, these girls actually admire Sakura Mikan for her determined spirit and good nature. Mikan was just too good to be hated. Well, they were just some girls who admired Mikan. Other fan girls despised Mikan a lot. 

"Excuse me, ladies." 

At the sound of the voice, the girls felt their breaths catch in their throats. It was like having your heart jumped out of its place. They recognized the voice well. As soon as they composed themselves, they turned in the direction of the voice and saw another heartthrob. "Hibiki Ryou-kun!!" they screamed his name like a bunch of deranged girls, which they are. 

Hibiki Ryou, best friend of Kawashima Kyo, was also one of the representatives of the Sakura Mikan-sama Fan Club. He was a ladies-man and an absolute pervert. But his heart truly belonged to the one and only Mikan. Nevertheless, he doesn't seem to mind flirting with other girls, especially the cute ones. "Ladies, have you seen Kyo?" he asked oh-so-sweetly, almost enough to make the girls faint. 

"Hibiki-kun, Kawashima-kun just passed by a few minutes ago," a short blue-haired girl answered, her face flushed up. She was staring at Ryou with so much pleasure. 

"He went in that direction," another girl said, pointing a finger to her left. She was completely taken by Ryou's hotness. 

Ryou winked at them. "Thank you, ladies." He bowed his head like a true gentleman. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must get going." He straightened up and blew a flying kiss at the girls. 

"HIBIKI-KUN!!" the girls shouted so loud. They were so happy that a handsome guy like Ryou actually noticed them and talked to them! It was their lucky day! 

Ryou dashed through the hallways, hoping he could catch up with his best friend. As he turned at one corner, he spotted Kyo and another person with him. To his surprise, it was none other than his crush, Sakura Mikan. Ryou's hazel eyes turned into pink hearts. His knees were getting mushy with excitement. He ran up to the brunette and greeted her with his flirtatious smile. "Mikan-sama, good afternoon!" 

"Hi, Hibiki-kun!" Mikan greeted back, returning a smile. 

Kyo narrowed his gaze as he muttered silent curses at his best friend for ruining his private moment with Mikan. He would love to torture Ryou later for his interruption. "Anyway, Mikan-sama, do you like the idea I came up for the Alice Festival?" he asked her. 

"Eh? What idea? What are you guys talking about?" Ryou butted in, obviously trying to meddle with their business. He didn't want to be left out whenever Mikan was involved. Plus, he was curious about Kyo's idea. 

"Sorry, Hibiki-kun," Mikan replied. "We can't tell you, since it's going to be the Special Ability Class's activity." She bowed her head slightly, causing Ryou to panic. 

"No need to apologize, Mikan-sama!" Ryou told her, feeling so awkward, as Kyo snickered. He then shot Kyo a warning look before he turned to the cute girl again. 

"So, Mikan-sama, about my idea?" Kyo reminded her. He proposed a wonderful idea for the Alice Festival that will surely benefit the Special Ability Class. Besides, the Special Ability Class had been winning the Special Award non-stop for four years now. Mainly, the class's victory was because of Mikan. Kyo thought of giving his idea a shot, but he had to inquire Mikan first since she was the star of the Special Ability Class. Of course, Kyo felt so lucky to be in the same class as Mikan. 

"I think your idea is great," Mikan said, beaming with a smile. "I'll tell it to Tsubasa-senpai later." 

The two fan boys' face turned red at the sight of her radiant smile. Everything about Mikan seemed so perfect to them. They had never met a girl so cheerful and so kind like her. 

Kyo was extremely proud of himself. He managed to impress his princess with his idea. Not bad for an otaku, he told himself. He could just laugh out loud and tell the whole world that he was one step closer to Mikan. He would love to rub it in on Ryou's face as well. 

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch break. Mikan knew it was time to go, because Natsume would be waiting for her outside the classroom. He refused to take classes when Mikan was not yet around. She didn't want Natsume to be late, so she needed to hurry. "Kyo-kun, Hibiki-kun, I have to go now. Bye!" She turned around, planning to make a run for it. 

But the two boys didn't want their angel to leave. "Wait!" they shouted in unison. At the same time, they extended their arms, attempting to grab her shoulders. However, the minute they shouted out, Mikan turned around to face them again. As a result, their hands landed on something soft. Kyo and Ryou gazed at one another, wondering why Mikan's shoulders were so soft and cuddly. They looked up at the brunette and saw where their hands have landed. 

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: Can you guess what happened here? I can't believe I've written a chapter this long. This is actually 11 pages all in all. I'm quite fond of writing this fic. I don't know. It's just interesting. This plot just popped into my mind during classes. They're going to be more Mikan and Natsume moments in the next chapter. Ryou's Alice, which is Magnetism, was revealed here. Now all that's left is Kyo to reveal his. Wanna guess? Be my guest! Please leave a review. No flaming! 

**  
__**


	4. Creeping Love

JC: We have such perverted boys here, aside from Natsume. As girls, I'm sure you'll be horrified like Mikan too. Let's see what she's going to do here. And what will happen if Natsume managed to see her with those two boys from the fan club again? 

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 4: Creeping Love

Mikan was so stunned at Kyo's and Ryou's audacity that for a moment she couldn't react. Her mouth dropped open as her big, round, amber orbs grew wide. The fan boys had their hands on her well-developed chest. They had weird and dumbfounded expressions on their faces. And when Mikan let out a loud scream, the boys withdrew their hands and flushed red in embarrassment. Mikan quickly covered her chest with her arms and backed away from Kyo and Ryou. "How could you?!" She looked at them, with eyes nearing to tears. 

"Mikan-sama, it was an accident," Kyo said sympathetically. Considering the way Mikan reacted, he doubted that saying sorry won't be enough to make it up to her. Still, he had to apologize. "I'm really sorry, Mikan-sama." He bowed his head and stared shamefully at the floor. It was such a perverted act, he admitted it. Although he did like touching her chest, he knew it was still wrong. 

Meanwhile, Ryou was opening and closing his hands as he imagined the softness of Mikan's breast. He could feel his cheeks turning redder and his lips curving into one goofy smile. Adding insult to the injury, Mikan found his expression mortifying. A nervous cough from Kyo brought him back to his senses. "What?" He stared confusingly at Kyo. 

"Apologize to Mikan-sama this instant, moron!" he demanded, hitting Ryou's head and glaring at him with his heterochromatic eyes. 

"You don't have to hit me, stupid!" Ryou retorted, rubbing the sore part of his head. As he turned his head at Mikan, he was stupefied to see the scared look on her pretty face. "Um… Hey… Mikan-sama… I-I…" 

Irritated with the stuttering, Kyo absentmindedly and violently slapped Ryou on the back. His action caused Ryou to bump into Mikan and tumbled to the floor. "Oh, no…" Now, Ryou was lying on top of Mikan, which would be a very awkward position. Kyo slapped his temple, cursing himself for what he did. 

Mikan yelped when her eyes met Ryou's hazel eyes. Her hands trembled as if she'd seen a ghost. 

Once more, Ryou felt happy and embarrassed again. To be so close to her face was like a dream come true for Ryou, although he would have wanted it in a not-so-awkward way where the girl doesn't think that you're a complete pervert. He was going to be blacklisted in Mikan's record if he won't apologize right away. He was about to speak when someone suddenly kicked him away and sent him flying to the wall. 

"Hyuuga, you bastard!" Kyo uttered as he looked at the raven-haired guy who had just arrived at the scene. He motioned over to Ryou's side and helped him back to his feet. 

While Kyo was busy with his best friend, Natsume helped his girlfriend up. Noticing her troubled eyes, Natsume could tell that something else happened between her and the fan boys, aside from Ryou tackling her to the floor. He was prepared to burn them to hell. But Mikan, being so kind-hearted, hugged Natsume's arm and said, "No, don't fight them." 

"But they harassed you," Natsume said, conjuring a flame in his palm. "These guys should be taught a lesson." Jealousy and hatred consumed him like fire. 

Ryou and Kyo were more than prepared to counter any attack from Natsume. They had their own brand of Alices and they were not afraid to use it. 

"Natsume, stop!" Mikan said and nullified his fire with her Alice. "It was all an accident. They didn't mean it," she continued as she turned to look at them with a smile, "right?" It was a genuine smile from her heart. 

Ryou and Kyo were love struck once again. Their faces were as red as cherries. Somehow, seeing her smile like that, made them feel guilty. Well, at least, Kyo managed to apologize to her properly, but Ryou happened to let her see how happy he was when he touched her chest. Ryou simply bowed his head and said, "I'm really sorry, Mikan-sama. I'll be careful next time." And Kyo also bowed his head in apology. They ignored the dead glare from Natsume, excused themselves, spun around, and walked off. It was almost time for class anyway. 

When the two fan boys disappeared through the hallways, Natsume and Mikan exchanged glances, and Mikan smiled. "You should control your temper, Natsume," she said, poking his chest playfully. She knew how protective Natsume was when it comes to her. But sometimes she wished he would loosen up whenever she talks with other boys. It was a miracle that many boys still mustered the courage to walk up to her and talk to her casually despite the threatening eyes of Natsume. She began tracing imaginary drawings on his cheeks as she giggled like a sweet little girl. 

Natsume felt a little ticklish and he always enjoyed it whenever she does that. But his mind was still hot from the scene he had witnessed a while ago. He couldn't believe that Ryou's face was just inches away from Mikan. If Mikan wasn't around, Ryou would be dead meat by now. 

"Come on, Natsume," Mikan said, taking hold of his hand. "Let's go back to class." She started to walk, but Natsume pulled and hugged her from behind. Mikan's cheeks turned instantly red. She could feel Natsume's hot breath on her neck. 

Natsume rested his chin on her shoulder. "I don't want you going anywhere alone," he said. "Stay away from those bastards as well," he added, giving emphasis to the word 'bastards'. 

"But they're my friends," Mikan argued. 

Uttering a raw sound of frustration, he spun the brunette around to look straight into her eyes. "Just do what I say," he demanded, grasping her shoulders tight. Before the brunette could respond, Natsume crashed lips against her. 

Mikan froze while Natsume's lips worked magic on hers. Before she knew could react, he was exploring her mouth thoroughly, and she wasn't doing anything to stop him. The Sakura Sensor turned bright red. Pulse threading wildly, she closed her eyes and placed her hands on his hard chest. For a moment she felt warm and secured. She responded his kiss with enthusiasm and pressed herself closer to his body. Unable to breathe, Mikan broke the kiss and gave him a small shove. She averted her innocent eyes away from his crimson ones, knowing she would see a familiar smug on his face. After years of being his girlfriend, Mikan was very well aware of the fact that Natsume felt proud whenever he kisses her. Although he won't admit, Mikan could see how he hunger for her kiss every time. What do you expect from a perverted boyfriend? Much to Mikan's chagrin, Natsume was her pervert to keep. 

The way he was savoring her with those tantalizing crimson made her feel jumpy. Skin sizzling at the silent concession, Mikan pulled away from him and turned around. With her back facing him, she took a deep breath and exhaled. Breathing exercises were good for the nerves, Mikan admitted, as she held her chest. And when she heard Natsume call her "Polka-dots," she gazed back at him only to find him staring even more intently. Determined to appear unaffected by the kiss they had shared a while ago, she casually held his hand and pulled him as she walked. But the Sakura Sensor was still red. 

"Where are we going?" he asked. 

"It's almost time for class," Mikan replied, blushing deeply. "Let's go back to the classroom." She hurried down the hallways, dragging her boyfriend behind, who doesn't seem to care about the time. 

* * *

Later Natsume was called by the middle school division principal, known as Hii-sama in the Hana Hime festival. The principal was an enigmatic woman, beautiful, nevertheless, and quite odd. She has extreme love for girls and disliked men in general. She has the ability to create a powerful barrier. Any Alices inside her boundaries would be rendered useless or can't be used properly. Tossing her long, dark, wavy hair behind, she gazed upon Natsume with those alluring eyes and an eerie smile. Hii-sama obviously had an important matter to discuss with Natsume, and the look in her eyes was rather cold. 

"I see you're doing your job well, Hyuuga Natsume-kun," she said. She had her fan in her hand and she was seated behind her desk, looking very comfortable. "And you seem to be enjoying it so much…" 

Natsume, as much as he wanted to insult the woman, did not utter a word. He continued to stare at the principal, piercing her with his blood-dyed eyes. Though it had only been 3 minutes since he stepped into the room, he was already getting impatient. 

Standing right beside the principal was the already graduated student Yamanouchi Shizune, the previous representative of the Technical Class. Intelligent, beautiful, and strict, Shizune, once a Special Star Student, graduated as one of the top of her class. She has the Alice of Sound. Now she was the assistant principal of the middle school division, working alongside with Hii-sama. 

"Kakitsubata, if you may…" Hii-sama said, putting emphasis on Shizune's flower name, as she started fanning herself in an elegant manner. Hii-sama was famous for her grace and elegance, not to mention her charms. But there were several people who thought of her as an oddball and Shizune was one of those people. 

Shizune nodded her head and pulled out a manila envelope from the desk drawer. "Look at this picture, Hyuuga Natsume." She took the picture out of the envelope and placed it on the desk. And when Natsume picked up the picture, she immediately started explaining about it. "The man you see in that photo… I think you've met him before."

Natsume's eyes grew wide in an instant when he recognized the person in the photo. It was a member of the Anti-Alice Organization. Natsume never thought he would be back. He thought he was dead. No, he shouldn't be alive, not after that incident in the past. This was a nightmare. This person had come back from the dead and Natsume was sure revenge was on the agenda. Neither a gasp nor a sound, Natsume shifted his eyes from the picture back to the two women in front of him. He seemed composed and calm on the outside, but he was worried. 

"According to our sources, the Anti-Alice Organization is on the move once again. Quite a number of students from different Academies all over the world have been abducted by the group and some were killed, and it seems that this dangerous person is the one responsible for plan. It'll be only a matter of time before they decide to attack this Academy." Shizune took out a two-page report paper about the missing students and presented it on the table. "Until further notice, all missions are to be ceased except for yours." 

Natsume narrowed his gaze at her. His mission wasn't as dangerous as the others, and he considered himself quite lucky to tackle such a mission. "Mission or not, it's still my responsibility to protect her," he said firmly. His mission was to guard Sakura Mikan with his life. It was a job assigned to him by the Headmaster of the Academy. The Anti-Alice Organization, after they've discovered Mikan's identity as the daughter of Azumi Yuka, had their eyes on Mikan for a long time. He knew how dangerous and rare Mikan's Alices were. The Nullification Alice and the Stealing Alice would be valuable assets to the organization. He had never failed to protect her from the organization—even during the time the AAO attacked the Academy one year before. 

"Protect her, Guren no kimi," Hii-sama said, leaning her chin on her hand. "Protect her—even if it means killing yourself. If that organization lays one finger on her, I'll have you severely punished. Mikan no Kimi, as you know is this Academy's most treasured girl. Please remember that." She had a smile on her face when she said that, but she was definitely serious with her words. Ever since she met Mikan, she had been interested in her. 

He shrugged. "I know…" He rolled his eyes away as he threw the picture on the desk. He had the urge to rip it to shreds or to burn it to ashes, but he knew that picture was needed for the investigation. 

"Before I forget," Hii-sama said as placed her fan down on her desk. "Mikan no Kimi is striving for the Honor Student Award again, isn't she?" She took her teacup and sipped some tea before she looked at Natsume again. 

"So what?" His face was stern and emotionless and his eyes were cold, though painted in red. He slipped his hands into his pockets and spun on his heels. He was prepared to leave the room. He couldn't stand being in the same room with that mysterious woman anymore. Her mere presence irritated him and he knew very well that the principal hated men like him. 

"Rude as usual…" Sometimes she wondered why Mikan chose Natsume out of all the guys in the Academy. "Anyway, if I remember correctly, she already received the Honor Student Award twice. She's always determined to work hard just to visit her grandfather. She's such a sweet girl." 

"Get to the point." He faced her again. 

She sighed and clasped her hands together. "Even if she gets the top spot again, she will not be allowed to visit her grandfather. This matter with the Anti-Alice group is getting more serious each day." 

"Then what's the point of letting me be her guard," Natsume said. He had a point. He was a reliable bodyguard, strong, and sharp. He was always in top-shape, his physical skills were outstanding, and he has mastery over his Alice. Whenever Mikan visited her grandfather, he would always accompany her and protect her not only because it was his job, but also because Mikan was his girlfriend. "You don't have any right—"

"Hyuuga Natsume, you are dismissed," Hii-sama said as she turned on her seat to face the window. It would be futile to argue with him, considering Natsume's stubbornness and coldness. Although she understood what Natsume was trying to say, she simply cannot go against the Headmaster's wishes for Sakura Mikan's safety. 

"How stupid." Without further ado, Natsume spun on his heels and marched out of the room, closing the door behind him with full force. It was an inappropriate thing for him to do. He walked down the halls, ignoring the frantic stares and glares from other students. His mind drifted back to the person in the picture. Questions rose up and rattled in his head. It was another problem involving his girlfriend again. How frustrating, he cursed. 

* * *

"Good morning, Natsume." Mikan glanced at her boyfriend as he settled himself in his chair. Mikan was eating an egg and she was holding a cup of milk in her hand. "Come on, let's eat!" she said brightly before she took a piece of bacon with her fork. Their Special Star breakfast was always high-class and scrumptious. 

"I'm not that hungry." He pushed the plate toward her on the table. He was in no mood to eat. He could hardly eat any dinner and sleep last night. He kept thinking about the picture, the Anti-Alice organization, and of course, his Mikan. Under normal circumstances, the Anti-Alice group wouldn't bother him so much, but because the return of that dangerous person left him troubled. 

Mikan looked at him carefully as she played with her egg. "Are you feeling ill?" She shrugged, then after a moment she placed her hand on his temple." 

"No," he replied shortly. 

"You've been acting strange since last night." 

"Nothing's wrong with me. Now hurry up or we'll be late." He looked at her and saw her pout. Her face was priceless, not to mention cute. And when she was done with breakfast, he abruptly stood up and pulled Mikan from her seat. "Let's go, polka-dots." He grabbed his bag, then Mikan's, and left the cafeteria, dragging Mikan behind him. 

"NATSUME!" she shouted at the top of her lungs when they've reached outside. "Stop dragging me! I can walk on my own!" She pulled her hand away and backed a few steps away from him. She glared at him with those amber orbs as she clenched her fists. 

"What an irritating voice," Natsume said nonchalantly and started walking ahead of her. 

"Hey, you!" Mikan ran after him and went in front him. "Give me my bag!" She extended her hand and pointed at her school bag that Natsume was holding. 

"You don't have to shout, stupid," Natsume replied. Same bored expression and same emotionless voice. He always has a knack of teasing and irritating his girlfriend to the core. 

"I'm shouting because I'm irritated, you MORON!" She lunged forward in attempt to seize her bag away from him. But Natsume cleverly dodged her. Mikan stomped her foot on the ground and tried to catch him again, but the raven-haired boy was too fast for her. "Natsume, give it back! I can carry it by myself!" She managed to grab his arm. She smiled at her success as she looked up at Natsume. But Natsume didn't want to lose, so he threw their school bags up a tree. Mikan's jaw dropped wide open in surprise. Oh, Natsume was mean, downright wrong. 

Natsume shrugged. "If you want it, then get it yourself." He could feel Mikan's dangerous aura coming up, but he wasn't the least bit terrified of this. "What are you waiting for? Go up there and while you're at it get mine as well." He was really testing her patience. Mikan was always a sweet girl, he knew that well, but there was a limit to being sweet. 

"You...You…" Mikan had her head low and her eyes hidden under her bangs. Her fingernails grazed his arms tightly as her whole body trembled in anger. She was going to blow her top any minute, and Natsume was more than prepared for anything. And when she looked up at him, her eyes were fuming. "STUPID NATSUME!!" She gave the flame-caster a little shove before she turned away. 

"How noisy…" Natsume said, looking calm as usual, but feeling a little worried as he saw her biting her lip. "Are you angry?" 

"Angry? Oh, no!" Mikan said in a sarcastic tone. "Isn't it obvious, dumbass?" She silently pardoned herself for the rude language, but she couldn't control herself anymore. Natsume really made her angry this time. What the hell was his problem? Does he really enjoy tormenting her? Mikan questioned herself. Natsume will always be Natsume. 

Instead of bowing his head and ask for forgiveness like a normal guy would do, Natsume approached her and hugged her from behind. His lips touched her neck. Then he grinned and nestled his chin on the crook of her neck. He could feel her stiffening. He hugged her even tighter and kissed her cheek. 

"N-Natsume!" Mikan's face was bright beat red as she pulled away from him. He was doing it again. He was going to take advantage of the situation and kiss her like there's no tomorrow. It was his way of asking forgiveness. As she saw the look in his face, she knew he was up to something again. "Not now… Please…" she said, taking a few steps backward. Her Sakura Sensor had turned red because of her blushing and her pulse was racing fast. 

He spent a few seconds looking at her. "This is what you get for being annoying, polka-dots," he said, his voice hard. His expression hasn't changed one bit. It was the same poker face. It was amazing how he can hide his emotions well. As he took a step forward, Mikan tried to look tough just to show him that she wasn't going to give in to him. Mikan was stubborn—probably more stubborn than him. But the idea of kissing her and taking her into his arms were hot in his mind. 

She wanted to shout, to insult him. She could feel her mouth working, but nothing came out. She saw him approaching her and when he was about to hug her, Mikan suddenly came to her senses and ducked just in time. This surprised Natsume a bit. Mikan ran off and stopped until she was inches away from Natsume. She stuck out her tongue and waved a hand at him. "I'm not gonna let you do what you please, pervert! I'm going ahead!" She turned around, dashed off in instant while saying, "Don't forget my bag!" 

He stood there dumbfounded. He didn't expect his girlfriend to pull a fast one on him. She rarely does. But what she did was somehow amusing. His face went back to being stoic again. Though she was out of sight, Natsume could still see her face in his mind, her cute flustered expression and those puffed cheeks. He smiled inwardly as he raked his fingers through his raven locks. And the way she stuck out her tongue like a child… Mikan will always be Mikan, he silently thought with an arrogant smirk on his face. 

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: The Alice Festival is coming, but with the AAO on the move again, will the Academy be able to celebrate it in peace? Natsume's mission, as stated before, is not anymore that dangerous. His job is to protect Mikan at all cost. It's a fairly convenient mission for him, because he gets to spend with her all the time. There will be some fight scenes and more characters will be introduced. Please send in the reviews. No flaming, okay? 


	5. Sweet Trouble

JC: Woah! I'm already in my fifth chapter. I'm getting more inspired each day. Questions came up in the previous chapter. But I'm not the type to give out spoilers. Just continue reading this and find out. We'll have some fight scenes here and a little fun. Now then, let's get on with it…

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 5: Sweet Trouble

Mikan practiced her lines for the play together with Ruka beneath the shady ground of a Sakura Tree. Those who passed by and saw them assumed that they were more than just friends, even though they all knew that Mikan was Natsume's girlfriend. A lot of girls were able to notice the serene look on Ruka's face whenever he gazed upon the brunette. He was so in love with her. It was such a shame that Mikan could never love him back. Most girls wished Ruka would choose another girl, but Ruka was completely loyal to his feelings. As for the boys passing by, they mentally cursed Ruka for being with Mikan. Only those who were close to Mikan and Ruka knew that they were only practicing for the play. 

"Quick, my lady, I must take you back to your palace," Ruka said, acting out his part as the princess's bodyguard and best friend. Acting was pretty easy for him. It was like a part of him. His past experiences have honed him to be a fine actor. He can even act out female roles, but he refused to dress up as one or even step foot on the stage in a dress. The Snow White gig was enough for him. 

"No," Mikan responded, acting as the princess, "I must see her now. She might be in trouble. Please let me go." She was doing fine acting as well. She and Ruka had been acting for four years now. Mikan was a natural in acting. Though she sometimes messes up during rehearsals, she still smiles and does her best. Everyone in the Somatic Class loved her. She was always full of energy when she practiced with them. 

Ruka sighed in relief as he leaned against the tree. "Let's take a break," he said, placing his script down on the grass. 

Mikan snuggled beside him, breathing in the fresh sweet scent of nature. A small smile touched her lips. "We're doing pretty well, Ruka-pyon. I can't wait to see ourselves on stage." Then she closed her eyes, as the wind blew softly, tossing her silky brown hair back. 

"Yeah…" Ruka smiled, relieved to see the smile on her pretty face. She was like an angel, an innocent little child, who possessed everything a guy like him could ever want. She wasn't perfect, no girl was perfect. But she meant everything to Ruka. Knowing that she can never be his strained him, yet he was happy that she was in good hands with his best friend. 

After a few seconds of silence, Mikan opened her eyes and turned to Ruka. "Ruka-pyon, you know, Natsume seems to be…" She was slightly hesitating and the look in her amber eyes told him that she was a wee bit troubled. "Umm…he seems more aggressive lately…" She played with her fingers as she lightly laughed. 

"Aggressive? As in how aggressive?" Ruka was aware of his best friend's perverted ways. He guessed that Mikan would probably complain to him about how stupid and arrogant Natsume was. It wasn't something new to him. He tried telling Natsume to stop being a pervert around Mikan several times, but his stubborn best friend wouldn't listen to him. Natsume enjoys teasing Mikan so much, much to her chagrin. 

"Well… It's kinda…umm…" Her face flushed red as she remembered her little session with Natsume in the classroom. How can she possibly tell Ruka about that? Surely Ruka would think that something had happened between them and she didn't want any misunderstandings. She scratched her head in frustration, thinking of a way to describe Natsume's aggression towards her. 

"What?" Ruka was getting more curious now. 

Mikan tapped her chin, thinking hard, as she kept darting her eyes at different directions. "AH! STUPID NATSUME!" She scratched her head in frustration and leaned back against the tree. She puffed up her cheeks and folded her arms. "He's such a jerk. He likes teasing me all the time." Well, that wasn't the words she wanted to say about Natsume, but she felt better blurting out like that. 

Ruka expected that kind of retort from her. It was nothing new, but he never gets tired of listening to her complain about his best friend. "Sakura, he's always like that. Bear with him like you always do." He also has the right thing to say when it comes to his best friend. "Natsume's personality is really complicated." 

Letting out a raw sigh of frustration, Mikan looked up at the blooming flowers of the Sakura Tree. "I know…" She gave him a significant look and smiled sweetly. "Even though he's so hard to understand, I still love him," she said. 

Love was such a strong word, a strong emotion, and something that can be painful. Ruka had experienced the pains of love. But it was his love for Mikan that helped him accept his fate and the happiness shared by the two most important people in his life. 

"Let's get back to practice, shall we?" he said decisively as he took his script. "How about starting from the second part?" 

Mikan nodded. "Sure!" She picked up her own script and turned to the fifth page. She read a few of her lines and smiled. "Pretty interesting… Ruka-pyon, the princess is going to be engaged to a prince from another kingdom. And this part is about your character's point of view." 

"Hmm… Let's see…" Ruka read one line aloud and paused to read the other lines silently. 

The two of them practiced their lines a few minutes later, and both of them were improving quickly. And at a quarter to five, Ruka and Mikan walked back to the dorm. Mikan was talking animatedly about their play last year and Ruka was talking and laughing with her. The Sakura Sensor was beaming with pink, which symbolizes joy. Mikan was sure that Hotaru would be pleased. By the time they've reached the dorm they parted ways and headed towards their rooms right away. 

* * *

The time was ten o'clock. Natsume, clad in a plain white shirt and black shorts, was waiting for his girlfriend to visit his room. It was her turn to visit him. He had been sitting on the couch reading one of his favorite shounen mangas. His facial expression was still the same, cold and emotionless, but he was raging deep inside. If it weren't for that call from his not-so-favorite teacher of the Dangerous Ability Class, he would be relaxed right now. Yes, Persona called him that afternoon telling him about the Anti-Alice Organization. No matter how much he hated Persona, he had to admit that the information he gave was quite helpful. But he would die first before ever thanking Persona. 

Some exceptional students who worked outside the Academy and the Dangerous Ability Class were prohibited to take any missions at hand. Only the teachers and trained personnel were doing the job. Some have already encountered several members of the AAO and it was good to say that they've managed to come back alive. The best operative among the teachers was none other than Persona. Skillful yet cold, Persona was a mysterious man with the Mark of Death Alice. Like the person himself, Persona's Alice was extremely dangerous—even for him. Once you've been afflicted with the Mark of Death, then it will be the end for you. In the Academy's history, only two known people have survived his Alice, which happened to be Sakura Mikan and Imai Subaru, the older brother of Hotaru. Persona was truly fit to be the Dangerous Ability Class moderator. 

Just then, somebody came and knocked on his door. Natsume knew it was Mikan, so he put away his manga. "It's not locked." 

She had come in shortly in her nightdress. Not the cheap kind, but a really expensive nightdress that Natsume bought for her birthday last year. The silky clothing only reached up to her knees and it barely covered her shoulders. She looked divine in that dress and she was luscious as she smiled towards the raven-haired boy. Her hair had been loose over her shoulders down to her waist, all clean and sweet from the shower. She sat down near him and reached out and touched his hand. 

He had been staring at her since she came into the room, even noticed her hiding something behind her back. What could it be? A surprise for him? He hoped it wasn't candy or anything like that. He wasn't too fond of sweets. Strawberries, yes, but never candy. He watched her snuggling against him, breathing in the male scent of him. He stared down on her for a moment, catching a glimpse of her cleavage before laying his head on hers. She could have no idea of how beautiful she was with her tangerine scent. He stroked her hair, his heart hammering with anticipation. For a moment he had the urge to kiss her, to feel her, to taste her, but then he realized that he needed self-control. 

"Natsume," Mikan finally spoke after the deafening silence between them. "I've got some Fluff Puffs here and I want to share them with you." Truth to be known, she actually received those Fluff Puffs from one of her admirers. The Fluff Puffs looked very delicious, but she won't be able to finish them all by herself. So, she thought of sharing it with her boyfriend. She presented a heart-shaped box, placed it on her lap and opened it. Inside were the white fluffy and delicious Fluff Puffs, Mikan's favorite candy. 

Aghast by the sight of the treats, Natsume rolled his eyes away. "Eat them yourself," he said grimly. 

"Oh, come on, Natsume…" Mikan took one and offered it to Natsume. "Please… How about just one? It wouldn't hurt, you know." She put on her cute puppy-dog expression again. 

Damned that face, he cursed. Her cute face always gets him. There was no use resisting it. Aside from him having no talent in music, his greatest weak point was none other than Mikan. "Tch… Just one, understand? After this, take your stupid treats and leave." He really didn't mean to say that, but his mouth wasn't always cooperating with his heart. 

"You're kicking me out? How mean!" she pouted. 

"Hmph. Just give me that already." He swiftly took the candy from her hand and threw it into his mouth. He savored the taste for a while, taking note that it was mouth-watering and delicious. Once he swallowed it, he pointed his finger at the door telling Mikan to leave. It was getting late anyway and there was school tomorrow. He didn't want Mikan to get up late again. But Mikan misunderstood him and thought that she wasn't needed by him. 

She grimaced and lowered her head, looking disappointedly, rejected and hurt. She clenched the hem of her dress, biting her lower lip, as she closed her eyes. She removed the box from her lap and placed it beside her. "Insensitive jerk," she mumbled before she stood and walked away. As she reached for the door knob, warm arms suddenly enveloped her. "N-Natsume!" She was surprised, more or less. She told him to let go of her, but he refused to comply with her demand. She pounded her fist against his chest, struggling to get free, but Natsume was clearly stronger than her. She wished she had more upper body strength than him, and then she could show him whose boss. Well, it was a funny idea. 

He knew he had hurt her again, though unintentionally, and he was planning to make it up to her. "Don't leave… Stay here, polka-dots." His voice sounded demanding yet gentle at the same time. That steady look, that serious look in his eyes was cold yet passionate. 

"Stay here? Why?" She peered over her shoulders and looked blankly at him for a moment. "I thought you didn't want me here. You're really complicated." 

He didn't say anything as he released her from his grasps. He waited for her to say something more, probably an insult or a sermon, but Mikan gave out a smile. And she looked so innocent in his eyes, so lovely. This girl was enough to make him crazy. Despite how clumsy she was or no matter how annoying she can be, for him, she was a bundle of joy. Another admirable trait about her was her forgiving side. Sakura Mikan never bears grudges on anyone. 

"Just stay and don't you dare leave," he said, almost in a threatening way, and Mikan nodded her head. Then he lifted her up bridal style, carried her over to the bed, and dropped her unexpectedly. He heard her groaned in pain and watched her hear rub her head. 

"What's the big idea, Natsume?!" she uttered, flailing one fist up and down, as she glared at the raven-haired flame-caster. 

"Shut up, polka-dots," he said emotionlessly as he slipped into bed beside her. "I'm too sleepy to answer that silly question of yours." 

"Such a mean guy," she said. 

"Sleep," he demanded. 

They stared at each other for a long private moment. Both looked worn out and sleep would be good for them. Mikan was out practicing with Ruka and the Somatic class the whole day. On the other hand, Natsume was forced to help the Special Ability Class because of Mikan. Almost everyone there considered him as part of the class, despite the amount of damages he has done before. He definitely didn't enjoy his time working with Andou Tsubasa, though the latter did have fun teasing him. 

She pinched his nose and giggled the sight of his irritation. And before he could insult her, she kissed his forehead. "Good night, Natsume," she whispered as she stroked his face tenderly. 

"Don't you dare leave here in the middle of the night without telling me, like you did last time," he said. 

Mikan sighed and sank her head into the pillow. "Tie me to the posts and then I can't go," she whispered. 

"Very funny," he said sarcastically. 

She giggled sweetly. "I won't go. But promise me you'll wake me up." 

"Fine with me." 

In the morning, Natsume woke up to the chattering birds outside. He opened his eyes and looked at the sleeping beauty beside him. He touched her, leaned over and kissed her lips and eyes, and she stirred in her sleep, shifted into another position. He brushed her hair down over her face so that only her eyes were uncovered. He lifted it back and turned her head and got a view of her profile perfectly. 

"Natsume," she said in her sleep. She pulled on his arm, reached up unsteadily without opening her eyes and pulled his head towards her. He kissed her mouth very lightly, and then felt her gliding back to sleep again. She wasn't ready to wake up yet. 

But there was school and Natsume did promise to wake her up. "Hey, polka-dots, how long are you planning to sleep?" he asked, shaking her, but Mikan only turned to the other side. Natsume wasn't going to give up. Grabbing her shoulder, he pushed her back and went on top of her. He was tempted to do it right there. With little control over himself, he crashed his lips against hers and traced butterfly kisses down to her neck. The sweet flavor she had was very addictive. 

At that moment, Mikan jarred her eyes open and shrieked. "Natsume, what are you doing? Ah…" He wasn't planning on stopping. He was enjoying her too much. He slid his hand up her thigh and it was as soft as her face. Her bottom was tight and smooth under her cotton panties. "Pervert, stop it!" she screamed, and brought Natsume back to his senses. 

Natsume looked down at her and saw the fear in her amber eyes. What the hell was he doing? It was wrong. He bit his lower lip in guilt and jumped off the bed. He felt so stupid to do that to her. No, he was stupid. He wasn't in control anymore. If he hadn't stop, if Mikan had not screamed, he would have hurt her by now. Damn his stupid hormones! 

There was an endless pause, and then finally Mikan got off the bed and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Natsume, you didn't have to do that wake me up," she said. She was a little scared to see Natsume on top her, touching her thigh and bottom and kissing her violently. But she figured that he was only doing that to wake her up, considering that she was a late riser and a heavy sleeper. "You're such a pervert, you know." She pressed herself against his back. She wasn't angry about it. She trusted Natsume well. She knew he wouldn't do anything to hurt her. 

There was temptation again. Natsume felt her chest against his back and he wanted to pin her on the bed. He almost shuddered at his naughty thoughts. "Go and get ready for school," he said in an icy tone. 

"Okay!" she cheerfully said after she released him. 

He was reading his manga when she got back to his bedroom in her middle school uniform, and he looked at her coldly. He knew she was oblivious to his obsession for her. He caught himself again staring at her naked thighs and her short skirt swinging back and forth, as she approached him. He felt like hitting his head on the wall and burning himself to ashes. 

"Hotaru called a while ago," Mikan said as she sat down beside him. "She said that she's doing fine. She's currently staying in a mansion. She said she's living the good life there with all the food and money. Hotaru can be such a pig." She chuckled, thinking how greedy her best friend was. Hotaru always has passion for money and loved eating sea foods. 

"She is a pig. No comments about that," he told her, while his eyes were glued to his manga. 

"Why can't you and Hotaru get along? You two are alike in so many ways." 

"Don't put me in the same line as that freak." 

"Hotaru's not a freak!" 

"Freak, weirdo or stupid suit her just fine." 

"Natsume, you meanie!" 

"I can call her whatever I like." He shifted his eyes from his to her. "So, stop reprimanding me, polka-dots." 

"I'm not polka-dots!" she retorted. "I'm not even wearing polka-dots today." 

"Then what?" He lifted her skirt suddenly and looked at her light pink cotton panties. "Pink today, huh?" He grinned maliciously. 

Mikan's face paled. What a perverted thing to do! She slapped his hand away and stood up in fury. Her fists were clenched and her eyes were fuming. A volcano just erupted from her head as she shouted, "NATSUME, YOU PERVERTED MORON!!" Practically, everyone in the Academy heard her voice—even those who were still asleep were now wide awake. 

* * *

"Be careful with that, Hyuuga," Kyo said, tapping his foot impatiently on the floor, and Natsume was annoyed by his mere presence. Much to his distaste, Natsume was helping out the Special Ability Class again, while Mikan was out practicing with the Somatic Class. It was so rare for him to work peacefully, since Kyo, one of the representatives of the Mikan fan club, constantly bothered him. Kyo was sure enjoying acting like Natsume's boss. He was one of the people in charge of coordinating the props needed for the Alice Festival. 

Natsume was carrying a box, about the size of a DVD player, labeled as fragile across the room, with Kyo following closely behind him. "Don't you have anything else to do, stupid," Natsume told the Triple Star student as he carefully placed the box on the floor. He then faced Kyo, giving him one deadly glare, but Kyo pretended not to notice and didn't respond. "Idiot…" 

"Look who's talking…" Kyo said as he crossed his arms. "Why don't you give her up, Hyuuga? Mikan-sama is too good for some delinquent like you." His lips formed into a sheepish grin. He wasn't afraid of Hyuuga Natsume. He wasn't like the other spineless fools out there who liked Mikan too. He was more than willing enough to defeat Natsume and win Mikan for himself. He and his best friend, Hibiki Ryou, swore to separate the two no matter what. 

"Whatever…" Natsume said in a monotone. He was certainly pissed, but he still remained calm and composed. It would be pointless to fight Kyo, because it will only prove his point. "I've got a lot of work here. Why don't you bother someone else? You're an eyesore." He didn't know how long he would be able to control his temper. It was best to avoid Kyo, to ignore him and his insults. 

Kyo narrowed his heterochromatic eyes. He wanted to irritate Natsume further. When Natsume went off to check the other boxes, he kicked the box with the label fragile on it and sent it flying across the room. Sounds of shattered glasses ripped through the air when the box landed roughly on someone's head. Natsume got a little surprised, but when he turned to Kyo, his face dimmed in fury. Kyo just smirked evilly at him, letting out a small chuckle. "How clumsy of you, Hyuuga. Tsk…Tsk… I didn't think you would be so careless," he announced out loud for everyone in the room to hear before he walked off. 

Fighting the desire to roast Kyo alive, he simply stayed still, looking emotionlessly as possible. The victim of the incident—the one who got hit by the box—suddenly stood up, rubbing his head, as he pointed a finger at Natsume. "Hey, you bastard! What's the big idea?!" But Natsume didn't bother replying him. He was innocent to a fault. 

"We only allowed you to work here because of Mikan-chan," the guy said, marching over to Natsume. He was a high school student, two years older than Natsume and much taller in height. He grabbed Natsume by the collar and shoved him away. "And to throw such priceless props at me is unforgivable. Don't get so cocky around here just because you're Mikan-chan's boyfriend! You're nothing to us!" Everyone was stupefied at the scene, as the guy picked up a broom and tossed it at Natsume. How bold and daring! The guy wasn't afraid of the infamous Natsume. But not all of the students in the Special Ability Class hated or feared Natsume. There were some exceptions. 

Kyo stood at one corner, looking at Natsume with disgust, as he leaned his back against the wall. Nobody saw him kicked that box and only Natsume knew that he was the culprit. But who would believe a Dangerous Ability student like Natsume? Of course, the Special Ability Class had more faith in Kyo than the fire-caster. 

"You better clean that mess up, Hyuuga!" the guy demanded, pointing at the shattered glasses on the floor. 

"Who do you think you are to boss me around?" Natsume said in a dangerous tone. He looked up at the guy, with those blood-shot eyes. The deadly aura he was emitting was cold and vicious. He conjured a flame in his palm and burned the broom to ashes. His patience had reached its limits. He turned to Kyo and formed two fire balls in each hand. "Don't go blaming things on me. That guy's the one at fault." 

A smirk for a smile, Kyo only shook his head. "How low can you get, Hyuuga? Why don't you take the blame like a man? Unless, you're a big sissy." He was practically enjoying his time bad-mouthing Natsume. And he would love to see Natsume cleaning like a maid. 

"Shut the hell up," Natsume said with a shrug, and then hauled the two fireballs at Kyo. The Special Ability Students got surprised at the sudden attack, but Kyo had this confident expression on his face. Agile as a cat, Kyo cart wheeled twice to the left to avoid the fireballs. Natsume wasn't going to let him get away, so he fired another fire ball at him. Kyo was very sharp and he simply evaded the attack. Natsume got more pissed at this. 

"I'm not a Triple Star for nothing, Hyuuga," Kyo arrogantly said, with a snap of his fingers. Another interesting fact about Kyo, aside from his fondness in anime and Mikan, was his athletic ability and intellectual prowess. Kyo was highly regarded by other students and well-admired by girls. Now he proved to be a formidable opponent for Natsume. "Consider yourself lucky last time. I wasn't able to fight properly because I was too depressed about my burnt camera." 

"I'll burn you," Natsume grumbled, poker-faced as usual, but his eyes were burning. And as he summoned more fireballs, two high school students walked into the classroom. 

"What is going on here?" a strict female voice spoke.

The Special Ability students turned their heads at the door and saw their two representatives of the class. 

A blonde guy, known as Megane, walked up to them and said, "Tsubasa, Misaki, trouble…" He scratched a part of his cheek before he pointed at Natsume and Kyo. "Those two started fighting." 

"Andou-senpai, Hyuuga started it," Kyo said in a carefree tone, and Natsume just glared at him. He crossed his arms and grinned at him. 

"Natsume did, huh?" Andou Tsubasa muttered, scratching the back of his head. He removed his gray hat, revealing his unruly midnight-blue hair. He stared at Kyo for a moment, unconvinced with his statement, before he turned to his red-haired girlfriend right beside him. His girlfriend just gave him the look, which made him sigh. As representative of the Special Ability Class, he knew it was his responsibility to patch things up between students. Tsubasa was a carefree kind of guy, a rule-breaker, nevertheless, but he can be a responsible senior as well. Still popular with the ladies, even though he's already taken, Tsubasa was one sociable guy and he rarely looses his cool. Tsubasa was known as the Shadow Prince, since he has the Shadow Manipulation Alice. 

The Doppelganger Alice, Harada Misaki, was Tsubasa's official girlfriend and the second representative of the class. Her shoulder-length hair was dyed rose pink, her eyes were sharp and attractive. She was a strong girl, pretty in all aspects, but she has one violent temper. She doesn't usually hold back when she hits Tsubasa. She loved her boyfriend very much, and was happy that they've been going steady for two years. Tsubasa was the sweet spot in her life. 

Tsubasa casually walked over to Natsume and held his head. "I don't think this guy will just attack anyone without a reason." He smirked widely at Natsume, but the flame-caster gave him a deadly glare in return. How scary! Tsubasa immediately withdrew his hand in fear. 

"Hey, Kawashima!" Misaki called out. "Mind telling us why you're fighting with Natsume-kun," she said in a very demanding voice as she placed her fists on her hips. 

"Harada-san," the guy who blamed Natsume earlier suddenly spoke up. "That Hyuuga kid was the one taking care of those glasses you now see on the floor. And with no reason, he suddenly threw the box at me." 

Misaki raised an eyebrow at him. "How can you be so sure that Natsume-kun did it?" She walked over the shattered glasses and picked up one sharp piece. 

"But Hyuuga was…" the guy was about to argue when Tsubasa cut him off. "Yes, he was the one in charge of those fragile stuffs. But, seriously, this guy isn't that stupid to pick a fight here. Let's be reasonable here." 

"Tsubasa's right," Misaki added, pointing the shard at the guy. "And another thing… Why was Natsume-kun fighting with Kawashima?" 

This time Kyo stepped up and explained some things to them. He was going to make sure that Natsume will be the loser in the end. "Because I saw him kicked that box," Kyo said, waving his hand in dismissive manner. "And he probably wanted to shut me up for that." There was no hint of guilt in his face. He looked confident and poised as he smirked at Natsume. 

"Liar…" Natsume muttered under his breath. 

Tsubasa and Misaki seemed to be getting the big picture now. Since they've known Natsume for years now, they knew very well that Natsume wasn't the type to charge into things without a definite motive. They believed that Kawashima Kyo was the real culprit, but they wouldn't dare admitting that out loud. It would only lead to more arguments. 

"Maybe we should report Hyuuga here to the teachers," Kyo said, as Natsume lit up a flame in his hand. His smirk only became wider. "You're loosing it, Hyuuga." 

"Hold it," Tsubasa said uncomfortably as Kyo shrugged his shoulders. Kyo was definitely the suspect. Tsubasa could see that Kyo was testing Natsume's patience, and stopping Natsume before things get worse was only appropriate. Tsubasa had heard a lot of things about Kyo, and some fan girls had said that Kyo was madly in love with Mikan. "Kawashima and the rest of you, go back to work." 

The other students, even the whining guy, went back to their work quietly, but Kyo just stood there staring at Natsume. Tsubasa gave him a warning look, and Kyo just sighed and returned to his post. 

"Natsume, I know you're tired, so rest up a bit," Tsubasa told the flame-caster. Judging from Natsume's expression, Tsubasa figured that he should take an early break. He wasn't so sure of letting Natsume work later, because Kyo would surely torment him again, but he'll think about it. 

"Hey, you okay?" Misaki asked, as she motioned over to Tsubasa's side. 

"What do you think?" Natsume said with a shrug, and then disappeared to the hallways. 

Tsubasa, Misaki, and the rest of the Special Ability Class got the work going then, and eventually Mikan came in. The boys especially greeted the brunette cheerfully, and as always now, Kyo would try to impress Mikan with one of his accomplished works. Tsubasa assigned Mikan to do some paint job, which she gladly accepted without a fuss. She parked herself in front of a large prop afterward, and after she'd prepared the paint brush, Misaki stopped for a minute to talk to her about Natsume. 

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: I know some of you will probably hate Kyo now. Go easy on him. He's not exactly the bad guy in this story. He's just one fan boy. The Alice Festival is fast approaching. I don't think Mikan and the others will be able to go through the festival without any trouble. Please review and review. No flaming. 


	6. Petty Lies

JC: Woah! The reviews keep on rolling. I'm really flattered to receive your reviews. They are most inspiring. Oh yeah, you still don't know what Kyo's Alice yet, right? Well, let me reveal it to you in this chapter. Let's get this moving. 

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice. I only own Hibiki Ryou and Kawashima Kyo here.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 6: Petty Lies 

At five minutes before nine, it was almost time to have a meeting with Ryou concerning his favorite girl, Sakura Mikan. Kyo had brushed his teeth, changed into a plain light-blue shirt and white shorts, and combed his platinum-blue hair. And when he heard the knock on the door, he knew it had to be Ryou already. He took one more look at himself in the mirror before he went to the door and opened it. Standing by his doorway was his dark-haired best friend with a rose in his hand. Ryou was quite fond of roses and Kyo never questioned him about that. As Ryou went into his Triple Star room, Kyo closed the door behind him and locked it. 

"I heard you and Hyuuga caused quite the commotion in the Special Ability Class," Ryou said, sitting down on the bed, as he placed the rose down on the bedside table. He caught a glimpse of Mikan's picture in a beautifully-designed frame on the table and smiled. 

"Yeah… I got Hyuuga so mad," Kyo said and laughed. He reached up into the far recesses of his closet and pulled down a box containing Mikan's pictures. He opened the box and took one picture out. "Hyuuga took the blame for something I did. You should've been there, Ryou." Kyo then told everything that happened in the Special Ability Class, after he stuck the picture on his mirror.

Ryou snickered a lot. "That Hyuuga is such an idiot!" he blurted out. "Man, Kyo, you're really evil." 

Kyo sat down beside Ryou and grinned. "I don't know if Hyuuga will still help out the class tomorrow. But if he does, I'll make sure to torment him." 

Ryou clapped his hands politely, obviously amused by Kyo's determination. Of course, he was as determined as Kyo to get rid of Natsume and to make Mikan his girlfriend. He used to have tons of girlfriends back at his old school. Being a certified playboy, he can easily change girlfriends within days. He never cared about the girls' feelings before and he just treated them as mere objects for pleasure, and all the girls just admired him like a god. But when he met Mikan, his outlook on girls have changed. Mikan was different than other girls, he was assured of that. To have her as his girlfriend will be a great accomplishment for him, even though he has to face Natsume and his best friend to get her. 

"I had a little talk with the other fan club members a while ago," Kyo said, tapping his chin, looking very serious. "And they said that Nogi Ruka is taking advantage of Mikan during their practice." Through research and hard work, Kyo was able to find out a lot about Mikan and her admirers in school. Ruka was one of Mikan's many admirers and he already confessed his feelings to her before. Much to Kyo's relief, Mikan only treated Ruka as a good friend. But Kyo observed that Ruka still loves Mikan wholeheartedly. 

"The Animal Pheromone guy?" Ryou frowned and drew his brows together. "That guy is pretty popular around here too and he's Hyuuga's best friend." 

"I know that," Kyo replied. "Obviously we have to deal with him too." He considered Ruka as a big threat and told Ryou about his thoughts on him. 

The both of them sat in silence for a moment then suddenly Ryou pulled his best friend by the collar. He had just come up with a brilliant idea. "If I remember correctly, Nogi's understudy is one of the members of our fan club!" He practically shouted those words at Kyo's face. Kyo glared murderously at him, but Ryo just ignored his expression and shoved him away. "All we have to do is to get Nogi out of the picture and let that member be the character in the play." 

Kyo, though annoyed like hell, was actually impressed by his perverted friend's idea. "And while we're at it, let's think of a way to humiliate Hyuuga more." 

"Right!" Ryou replied as he stood up. "We'll conduct a meeting with the fan club tomorrow afternoon. Kyo, you inform everyone, got that?" 

"Just leave it to me," Kyo said, folding his arms. 

"This is exciting, isn't it?" Ryou said brightly, and Kyo nodded his head. Just by thinking of Natsume's and Ruka's defeat fueled him up. And as he took another look at Mikan's picture on the bedside drawer, his lips curved into a gentle and handsome smile—the smile enough to make his fan girls faint. He loved Mikan so much and his heart was telling him to fight for his love. He may be insane or truly obsessed with Mikan, but his love for her genuine.

* * *

"Wake up." Natsume's cold voice came to her through the mists. 

Mikan's amber eyes opened slowly, focusing upon her surroundings, at first confused as to where she was, but then remembering. She has once again slept in Natsume's room. She only visited him last night to have a little chat with him concerning what Misaki told her. She wanted to find out why he fought with Kyo in the Special Ability Class. Natsume didn't bother telling her the details and he just told her the Kyo was a pain. Mikan tried to defend her friend, which got Natsume a bit mad. And because of that, Natsume refused to let her go back to her room. He even forced her to come to bed with him, but he didn't do anything indecent to her. He had more self-control this time. 

"We're going to be late if you don't hurry, idiot," Natsume said. He stood by his bed, looking down at her. He had spent the last ten minutes trying to wake his girlfriend up. That really got his bad mood running. He could get real cranky early in the morning. 

Mikan looked up at him with a pissed look on her face. "It's your fault for letting me sleep here, you pervert!" she said out loud as she jumped off the bed. "I already set my alarm clock back at my room, you know." She sighed deeply as she headed towards the door. And once again, Natsume stopped her by hugging her from behind. Seriously, she was in no mood for Natsume's antics again and she was ready to throw some colorful words at him when he suddenly handed her a towel. She then looked at him with a confused look on her face. 

"Just use my bathroom and hurry it up," he demanded before releasing her. "I'll go get your uniform from your room." 

"W-What?" Mikan's face turned bright red. "Are you insane?! Well, you probably are, but I won't let you do that! Plus, you'll see my underwear!" 

Natsume groaned in frustration and grabbed Mikan's shoulder. "I have no time for this, polka-dots." He dragged her towards the bathroom and literally pushed her in. "Take a bath already," he said nonchalantly before he shut the door close. 

"YOU MORON!" Mikan yelled out, steam coming out of her head. There was no way she would bathe in his bathroom. What if he would suddenly barge in while she's in the shower? She knew Natsume had keys to his own bathroom and she was well-aware of the fact that he was a pervert. She opened the door, but when she came face to face with Natsume, she stopped and swallowed hard. "You're definitely planning something, aren't you?!" 

"No, I'm not," he replied in a bored tone as he gently shoved her in. "You're really wasting time. Do you want me to undress you?" It seemed more like a threat than a simple bad joke from him. Natsume eyed her seriously, waiting for her reply. He could see the tension brewing in her eyes as her cheeks turned red in embarrassment. 

"F-Fine!" She can't argue with him anymore. She closed the door hard and leaned her back against it. "Stupid Natsume…" she grumbled. She then took off her clothes and went into the shower for a nice morning bath. 

Natsume proceeded to Mikan's room to gather her uniform. And after getting all the necessary stuffs, including her underwear, he left the room and got confronted by Kyo. What a great way to start his day. Platinum-blue hair and heterochromatic eyes, yes, definitely it was Kawashima Kyo. Natsume didn't expect to see his so-called rival early in the morning. "What do you want?" he questioned in a deadly tone. Natsume still hasn't forgotten what he did yesterday. After taking the blame, Natsume was sure that he was hated more than before. It was a good thing that Tsubasa and Misaki understood the situation. 

"Hyuuga, I want to challenge you," Kyo said, holding a small paper card in his hand. "The details are on this card." In a swift motion, Kyo hauled the card at Natsume's face, and the card past him, scraping his right cheek and cutting some strands of his hairs. Kyo snickered at the sight of some blood dripping out of the small cut on his cheek. After that, Kyo spun around and walked away, leaving Natsume to wonder. 

Natsume was sure that card was made of paper a while ago, and when he turned his head around, he saw the card stuck on the wall. He pulled out the card and noticed that it was now made of metal. And then it hit him—Kyo's Alice, of course, was responsible for the card's modification. He read the details written on the card. It was challenge and an obvious trap, Natsume could sense it. He had to be careful. Those guys from the Mikan Fan Club are not to be taken lightly. 

* * *

Mikan came with Natsume to the Somatic Class that day, and she told him not to cause anymore trouble in class. She also tried to think of the reason why he fought with Kyo, since Natsume refused to tell her. Misaki told her that Natsume took the blame for something that Kyo did. She has known Kyo since the day he entered Alice Academy and she could say that he was one nice guy. It was hard to believe that he would cause trouble for Natsume. But she believed that Natsume will never do anything reckless unless there's a reason behind it. She turned and stared straight at Natsume as she reached for the classroom of door of the Somatic Types, and then she opened the door, poked her head into the room, and greeted everyone a "Good morning!" 

Several boys in class turned her heads towards her when they heard her sweet voice. Their eyes turned into cute pink hearts as they lightly blushed. The other students greeted Mikan casually before they went back to work. Shouda Sumire, the cat-dog girl, had to bang her fist on the table in order to snap the fan boys back to their senses. "Get back to work!" she demanded, and the boys immediately returned to their jobs. Sumire sighed as she shook her head. "Honestly, Sakura-san, you're such a head turner." 

Mikan stuck her tongue at out, giggling, as she stepped into the room. "So are we going to start practicing or what?" she said, feeling excited. 

"You weren't listening to Narumi-sensei again," Sumire said with a shrug. And when she saw the confused look on Mikan's face, she slapped her own forehead and sighed. "Sakura-san, practice is this afternoon. We're going to have our costumes made today. Someone from the Technical class will measure our sizes." 

"Oh… Wait… Someone from the Technical Class? Is it someone I know?" 

"I don't know. I think that student just transferred last spring. But I heard she's good in designing and sewing." Sumire looked concerned about it. 

"I'm pretty excited to meet her," Mikan said chirpily, and Sumire just shook her head in dismay. Mikan was about to say something when she suddenly remembered her boyfriend, who was waiting for her outside the room. "Natsume!" She quickly reached for his hand and dragged him into the room. 

Sumire's eyes sparkled at the sight of her idol. "Good morning to you, Natsume-kun," she said sweetly, and Mikan just grinned at Natsume, just before they heard several students whispering about and bad-mouthing Natsume. Sumire glanced at them to reprimand them for being so disrespectful. And much to her surprise, she saw the vicious eyes of some of the students. What was wrong with them? They were acting so strange, Sumire thought silently. Normally the students who disliked Natsume would just secretly insult him, avoid him, or just fear him. But they were practically throwing insults at him. Sumire turned back to the couple, and Natsume just narrowed his eyes. As president of the Natsume-Ruka Fan Club, she had to do something. "Hey you—"

Mikan immediately broke in. "What's the matter with you guys?" she asked them, taking a step forward, looking a little hurt. The insults she just heard about her boyfriend was very painful. They had no right to say such bad things about him. "Almost everyone here is acting so indifferently to Natsume… Why is that? Please, tell me…" She put on a strong face, but she still retained her innocent demeanor. 

A cute middle-school girl with long purple hair folded her arms and stood up from her chair. "Sakura-san, Natsume-kun tried to hurt Kyo-kun yesterday." 

"Hyuuga's the trouble-maker, yet he blames Kawashima," a guy spoke up from the other side of the room. He was standing by the window along with his two friends. 

"Kyo-kun is such a nice guy, unlike a bastard like you, Hyuuga!" another girl, a pink-haired one this time, spoke out loud as she pointed an accusing finger at Natsume. Some students muttered "Yeah!" and some nodded in agreement, and the others just stayed silent. The tension in the room was heating up, and Natsume did nothing to defend himself. Why bother saying anything? It was clear that they were in favor of Kyo. 

Mikan couldn't stand it anymore. "Don't say things like that about Natsume!" Mikan said firmly as she hugged his arm with a grim expression on her face. 

"Why not? It's true. Natsume's a bastard, a jerk." Another guy held his fist up. "And why the hell is he helping the Special Ability Class? The Dangerous Ability students are not even allowed to participate in the Alice Festival." It was true, but only partly true. The students of the Dangerous Ability Class were still given the rights to help out the other classes. Natsume only wanted to watch over Mikan and to enjoy the Alice Festival with her. 

"You think you're so cool…" the pink-haired girl said sarcastically, throwing her hair back. "Apparently a lot of students hate you, Hyuuga, and I think you know that well." She had this wide and sinister smile on her face. 

Sumire snapped out, "Shut the hell up! How dare you say such things to Natsume-kun!" She was definitely true to her position as president of the Natsume-Ruka Fan Club. Even against so many odds, Sumire was willing to defend Natsume till the end. She was extremely loyal to him, but not romantically interested. 

The pink-haired girl, together with some guys, shot Sumire a poisonous glare. 

Despite the words and the glares he was receiving, Natsume still remained cool and composed. It was evident that he didn't care what others say about him. He was used to being insulted and bad-mouthed. It reminded him of the time back at his hometown, where the fire caused by his sister burned so many homes. He took all the blame for his sister, and because of that he was assaulted by the townspeople. What was going on right now was no different than back then. He shouldn't bother with them. Nothing good will ever come out if he argued with them. 

"Everyone, please stop!" Mikan said, snuggling herself closer to Natsume. She leaned her temple against his shoulder blade and stared down on the floor. "Please stop saying such mean things about Natsume… Natsume is not like that at all… Why don't we all get along? The Alice Festival is coming up and we should…" She was speaking softly as tears formed in her amber eyes. Her Sakura Sensor's color turned gray for sadness. 

Sumire fisted her hands on her hips and glared at the students. "Sakura-san is right!" she uttered. "You guys don't know Natsume-kun that well, so don't judge him so easily! And aren't we supposed to be preparing for the Alice Festival? I'll report you to the teachers for being so sloppy!" She was very serious when she said that. 

Groans, curses, and sighs were heard throughout the room, before each student returned back to work. Sumire was right at some point. They needed to get things done before the festival. But they totally disagreed with her about Natsume. They believed what they wanted to believe about him. In their eyes, he was nothing more than an irksome existence to the school. However, not all of the students felt that way about Natsume. A thick, tense silence filled the room, after Natsume and Mikan walked out of the room. 

After two minutes of walking down the halls quietly, Mikan took a deep breath and blinked back tears. She reached to touch his hand. "Natsume, you okay?" she asked, gazing at his crimson eyes. His facial expression was still stoic as ever, but she knew he was in pain inside. You'd have to be a robot not to get hurt by such terrible words. Natsume may be a cold person, but he was still a guy with feelings. 

He turned to face her. "I'm fine," he said in a choked voice. "I don't care about what they think about me." 

"But Natsume…" She sniffed as she wiped her tears with her finger. "I know you had a fight with Kyo-kun…and…I believe you're innocent, Natsume… And yet those people…" 

Knowing that she believed him lightened him up a bit. In the midst of the darkness, all he needed was Mikan to light up the way. Mikan was the only girl capable of making him truly happy, and he hated seeing her cry or her sad face. He felt rotten, because he was partially the reason why she was crying. She had gotten hurt by the things those students said about him. "What an ugly face," he said nonchalantly as he caressed her cheek. He wished to see her radiant smile again, because it suited her best. "Stop crying and smile, you polka-dotted panties girl." 

"Polka…?" It was expected at that moment, because her mood was seriously depressing. But his remark sparked fury in her. There was no denying that she was currently wearing polka-dotted panties. Since Natsume personally picked out her underwear for the day, it was only natural that he knew. The Sakura Sensor turned from gray to red. She clenched her fists tight as a vein popped out of her head. Oh, she was ready to give him a piece of her mind. "Pervert!" she yelled out. 

An arrogant smirk for a smile, he removed his hand from her cheek and started messing up her hair. "Stupid girl," he said. His name-calling never failed to get her attention. 

"Stupid Natsume!" she retorted, squeezing his hand tight. 

Seeing the joy beginning to rise in her eyes, Natsume pulled her against him. "I'm stupid, so what? I don't care," he crooned at her, his hand stroking her hair gently. "I was stupid enough to fall for a clumsy girl like you." He tipped her face up and kissed her hard. Of course, his action astounded her, but she didn't resist or push him away. She returned the kiss with passion, and Natsume proceeded to explore her mouth with his tongue. It didn't matter if fan boys were against his relationship with her. He didn't give a damn care if several students despised him. All he needed was Mikan by his side to make him better, to make him happy. Mikan was everything to him. He will never let anyone shatter their relationship. 

* * *

"I've given the invitation to Nogi," Ryou said, taking a sniff of his red rose. He was thrilled about the challenge and he can't wait to get his hands on Ruka and Natsume. "How about you, Kyo?" He turned to his best friend, who was staring blankly at the sky. The two of them were on top of the rooftop and the view from up there was great. Ryou couldn't help admiring the wonderful greens of nature and the middle school girls walking about from below. 

"Yah, I already gave it to him," Kyo replied. "All we have to do is to inform the others about the plan." 

Ryou's lips formed a slight smile as he pluck one petal from his rose. "How do you come with such a brilliant plan in just one night?" 

Kyo smiled broadly. "You really wanna know?" he asked, and Ryou nodded his head twice. "Okay, I got the idea from this manga series. This series already has an anime adaptation. I'm already watching it right now. I bet the anime is only up to 24 episodes only, but the manga is still ongoing. You wanna read the manga, Ryou? I'll gladly lend it to you, or would you prefer watching the anime instead?" Kyo was speaking in otaku language again. He was a full-blooded otaku. 

The dark-haired lad sweat dropped. "You're really a maniac," he said, raising an eyebrow, "and an idiot." He threw the rose away and massaged his temple. He should've known that Kyo got his ideas again from anime and manga. His best friend was a total addict. Well, he didn't hate Kyo for his hobbies and interests. He just gets annoyed with Kyo whenever he starts talking non-stop about anime and manga. But Ryou was happy to have Kyo around. He would've never known the true meaning of friendship if it weren't for Kyo. A lot of kids in his neighborhood hated him for his arrogant nature and Kyo was the only one who opened up to him. 

"Break time's almost over," Kyo said. "I better head back to the classroom or Harada-san will have my head if I'm late." Kyo got to his feet and dusted his pants. 

Ryou grimaced and shook his head. "Going to work, huh?" He stood up as well and slipped one hand into his pocket. "You'll never see me working." 

"That's because you're lazy," Kyo muttered then Ryou suddenly glared at him. Kyo held up a hand in surrender and chuckled nervously. "I'm only telling the…" He didn't get to finish his sentence because Ryou suddenly hit his head. He let out a small scream and rubbed his poor head. The impact of Ryou's fist was still shaking his brain when he shot him a glare. He wanted to say something, but he figured that he shouldn't waste his breath on Ryou any longer. Besides, he'll probably just hear some insults from the perverted guy anyway. 

"What? Got nothing to say?" Ryou said, trying to look stern, as he stood there with arms crossed. "What's the matter, Kyo?" He smirked at him, knowing it would pissed Kyo even more. However, his best friend only shrugged and turned around. He was surprised at this. Kyo had seemed a bit serious, and when he caught him by the wrist, he didn't move. Ryou felt oddly by Kyo's behavior. Frankly, he was also getting nervous. Did he actually make him mad? He certainly hoped not. Kyo can be quite scary when angry or provoked, and Ryou had to learn that the hard way. Ryou decided to apologize ahead, and when he went in front of his friend, he was surprised to see a mischievous smirk on Kyo's face. 

Kyo let out a small giggle first before he burst to laughter. "Bet you thought I was mad, huh?" he said, clamping his mouth. 

"Haha… Real funny, idiot," Ryou said sarcastically, poking Kyo's temple. He let out an exasperated groan and walked towards the window. "Come on, let's go. You don't want to be late, right?" Kyo nodded, and Ryou just sighed and went in. As the two of them walked across the hallways, a couple of boys from the Mikan fan club approached them and asked them about the plan. The two best friends stared at each other for a moment, smirking, before they went on explaining about the plan. 

* * *

Ruka slid the sword back into its sheath and walked over to the brunette girl waiting for him on the stage. He took her hand and placed a gentle kiss on it, not caring about his slightly red cheeks or his nervous heart. He was only practicing for the play, and had to be natural in front of the princess who happens to be his life-long crush. Mikan just gazed at him softly like the director instructed her. Her eyes were full of love and passion at the moment. And when Ruka's eyes met her amber ones, he felt the temperature rising within him. Perfect. She was absolutely stunning. He had managed to play out his part right, despite the distraction. He couldn't help admiring Sakura Mikan up so close. 

"Okay, that's a wrap!" Narumi-sensei said. The bubbly teacher was apparently the director of the play. He absolutely adored Mikan whenever she acts and wears cute costumes. "Good work, everyone, especially you two." He was referring to Ruka and Mikan, who were the lead characters in the play. 

"Thank you, sensei!" Mikan's smile widened from the serene princess-look to delighted and cheerful. 

"You're so cute, Mikan-chan." He turned her smile as he gave her a quick hug. Of course, his action definitely sparked some jealousy in Ruka. But the blonde boy didn't do anything to get Narumi away from the brunette. "Just keep up the good work, okay?" He squeezed her hand between his for a moment, bouncy tone in his voice. 

Mikan nodded her head. "Okay!" She shot her teacher a jolly look. 

"By the way you're the only one who didn't get your measurements for the costume. Please stop by the Technical Class tomorrow morning." Narumi was about to pat Mikan on the head, as she nodded and smiled, when he suddenly felt a quick little flutter of panic, as if there were murderous intentions around him. He glanced around and saw several boys glaring at him jealously. He swallowed hard and tried to laugh off his uneasiness. "Erm… Well… Ruka-kun, be a gentleman and escort Mikan-chan tomorrow to the Technical Class. That's all. Adieu!" With that, he staggered towards the exit and left the auditorium in a flash. 

Ruka didn't even get to respond. Well, even if Narumi didn't ask him, he would still be honored to escort Mikan tomorrow. Even at that very moment, he would love to escort her back to the dorm, but he remembered about the invitation that was given to him by Ryou, one of the representatives of the Mikan Fan Club. A challenge was laid out for him, and Ruka knew it was only trouble. But he can't afford to back down the challenge, with Mikan on the line. So, when Mikan asked him to walk home with her, Ruka politely refused and told her that he has some things to attend to. 

"Is that so?" Mikan's face sunk. "You know, Natsume also said the same thing," she said, tapping her finger on her cheek. 

"He's probably doing some stuff in the Dangerous Ability Class," Ruka answered, though he really didn't know what to say to her. He has this strange feeling that Natsume probably got the same challenge as him. If that was the case, the fan club was really getting serious with their reputation. To protect and admire Sakura Mikan was one thing, but to eliminate boys who are close to her? Ruka shuddered at the thought of it. 

When Mikan left the auditorium, Ruka stared down at his feet, feeling something tight and eerie around him. He knew that fan boys were sending death glares at him, but he couldn't care less about them. His primary focus was the challenge. What kind of challenge was there for him? He certainly hoped it wouldn't be life-threatening. 

"Hey, Nogi!" one of the fan boys called out. 

Ruka was not in the mood for their petty insults and curses about him. Sure, the boys were always jealous of him whenever he was with Mikan, and they told him to keep his distance from Mikan. But Ruka can never do that. Ruka truly valued his friendship with Mikan and he vowed to love her till the end. He can't just let fan boys tell him what to do with his relationship with his friend—even if they threaten or bribe him. He turned around to face the boys. He narrowed his eyes and tried to look alert. 

"Nogi, what do you think of Hyuuga and Mikan-sama's relationship?" the same fan boy asked him, as he and his lackeys kept their keen eyes on the blonde lad. This gray-haired fan boy was actually one of the people who insulted Natsume earlier back at the classroom. 

It was a rather surprising question. Ruka didn't expect that, but he knew how to answer that kind of question. "They're suited for one another. That's all." He could have told them more, but he didn't have time to spare for them. He still has to take up the challenge, which was going to start half an hour later. 

The boy just smirked. "Suited for one another? Yeah, right! Hyuuga is disgusting. A trouble-maker like him has no right to be with Mikan-sama. Plus, he's a murderer like everyone says." 

Ruka pursed his lips and shot him an angry look. "Natsume has every right to be with Sakura!" he yelled out. He really detested people who spoke and think badly of Natsume. As his best friend, he knew he had to defend him. "And Natsume is not a murderer. That's just some stupid rumor." 

"You're Hyuuga's best friend," the guy said, waving his hand submissively. "It's only natural for you to say that." 

His gentle and kind nature prevented him from charging the guy with a punch. "Natsume's not a murderer," Ruka said firmly, clenching his fists. 

The guy ran his hand through his short gray hair and sighed. "Whatever… In any case, we'll believe what we want to believe," he said, as the others with him nodded their heads in agreement. "I don't know why you're friends with that jerk, but you two do look good together. Maybe it's because the two of you are pathetic idiots." 

When Ruka didn't speak up, the guy thought he had completely devastated him with his cruel words. He wanted to torment him more, but he and the other boys got smacked on the head courtesy of Shouda Sumire, the self-proclaimed president of the Natsume-Ruka Fan Club. Of course, being hit on the head kinda hurt, especially if it came from Sumire, and being hit by a girl infuriated them. They shot their murderous eyes at Sumire. "What's the big idea, bitch?" the gray-haired guy said. 

"Insult me if you want, I don't care," Sumire said in a dangerous tone as she pulled out a steel pipe out of nowhere. She planted a fist on her hips as she rested the pipe on her shoulder. "But I don't tolerate people who insult Natsume-kun and Ruka-kun." Somehow, the boys started imagining her as a seaweed monster or medusa and became very afraid of her. In addition to that, Sumire's eyes were very cynical and evil, which sent chills down to their spines. Like a bunch of chickens, they spun around and ran away from sight. Sumire laughed at their stupidity before she turned to her idol Ruka with sparkling eyes of admiration. 

No matter how annoying Sumire can be for him, Ruka felt really grateful for her help. For the first time, he thought of Sumire as the one girl truly fit to be president of his fan club, but he will never dare to say that out loud. "Thanks, Shouda…" he told her, presenting a warm smile. 

"Oh, it was nothing, Ruka-kun," Sumire replied sweetly. "Don't worry about those idiots. What they were saying about Natsume-kun isn't even true." She threw the pipe aside as she sighed deeply. 

"You're right," Ruka said. He happened to know about the earlier dispute between Natsume and some classmate of his in the Somatic Class. Just because of Kawashima Kyo, everyone seemed to have snapped and brought more hatred out on Natsume. That wasn't just fair. It was true that Kyo was a nice guy and he has a pleasing personality, but his attitude towards Natsume was very indifferent. 

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: I know I'm asking much, but please do not hate Kyo. I'm telling you that he's not the bad guy and so is Ryou. Remember, I've previously mentioned about the AAO, but I didn't reveal any AAO character yet. Some familiar characters will be introduced in the next chapter. Well, there will be more Natsume and Mikan moments, I assure you, and some fight scenes. Please review! No flaming. 


	7. The Challenge

JC: Hey there! I'm back with another chapter. This one will have fight scenes, and I assure you Ruka and Natsume will be in a real pinch. Kyo and Ryou aren't as bad as you think. They're just obsessed with Mikan, like Natsume. An AAO character will be introduced here. Who could it be? Well, read on and find out. 

Disclaimer: I only own Kawashima Kyo and Hibiki Ryou in this fanfic. The rest of the characters belong to Higuchi Tachibana-sama. Of couse, it's also obvious that I don't own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 07: The Challenge 

At the blink of dawn, the Eastern Woods was quiet and serene. Only the rustling sounds of leaves and insects can be heard. The Eastern Woods was the place where the challenge would be held. Several members of the Sakura Mikan-sama Fan Club were already present there, all set to take on the two boys who were very close to Mikan's heart. Within an hour, they had turned the whole woods into a dangerous place armed with traps and surprises. Ryou and Kyo were very contented with their plan and they were sure proud of the other members for their cooperation and hard work. All of them were focused on destroying Natsume and Ruka once and for all. 

Kyo and Ryou were standing by the entrance of the woods when Natsume and Ruka came. The two fan club representatives had smirks plastered on their handsome faces. They seemed pretty confident about the challenge, and that concerned Natsume and Ruka a bit, though they looked perfectly composed before the two. Ryou, in a gentlemanly manner, extended his arm towards the entrance and bowed his head. Natsume and Ruka raised a brow at him, thinking how goofy he looked, but they knew that he was gesturing them to go in. 

"What are you two idiots waiting for?" Kyo said, cupping his chin with his hand. "Didn't you read the cards? The instructions are all there." 

Yes, they have read the instructions and understood it completely. The challenge in stored for them was like an RPG, a quest that they have to finish. If they can't complete the task, then it would be game over for them. Natsume didn't like the idea of this challenge one bit, but he had to accept it because Mikan was on the line. He was a little surprised when he found out that Ruka also got the same challenge as him. However, knowing that he won't be alone in the challenge enlightened him a bit. He could use a companion in case Kyo and Ryou would trick him. 

"I hope you guys will keep your word," Ruka said, pulling out the challenge invitation. "If Natsume and I win, you'll disband the fan club immediately." There was seriousness in his voice as he spoke out those words. He crumpled the card and dropped it on the ground. 

Ryou straightened up and grinned. "As if you guys can win…" He chuckled lightly before he continued speaking. "I assure you that this challenge will be very difficult." 

"And if you'll lose the challenge, you guys have to stay away from Mikan-sama forever," Kyo said. 

Natsume's eyebrows furrowed. Losing was not an option for him and Ruka. He needed to win this one, for his and Mikan's sake. "We're not going to lose," he said and walked past Kyo and Ryou. He peered over his shoulders and shot them a glare with his crimson eyes. The mere sight of them always strained him, but at that moment they fueled him with so much anger. He would love to burn them with his fire, but he couldn't. He would lose the challenge the minute he lays one finger at them. However, he swore to beat the crap out of them once he's through. He'll make sure that they will regret crossing paths with him. "Ruka, let's go." With a shrug, he ventured into the woods together with his best friend. 

"Those guys…" Ruka sighed deeply as he turned his head at Natsume. "I can't trust them. I know they've planned something dirty." Ruka can understand them for being so desperate with the girl they liked. Sometimes Ruka also thought of doing something desperate, but he was caring enough to think of Mikan's happiness. Mikan was happy being with Natsume, and that fact alone brought a smile to his face. 

"They're really stupid," Natsume blurted out. He stopped walking and stared at aimlessly at the ground. "Win or lose, it's still up to Mikan to decide whether to stick with us or not." And Natsume was confident that his brunette will stay with him forever. 

Ruka nodded his head. "You're right. Sakura is still—" Before he could finish, a bright light formed a ring above them and the ground started vibrating with such intensity, it nearly made them lose their balance. They were swallowed up in the tunnel of light and disappeared out of sight. They soon found themselves in the midst of a violent snowstorm. What little they could make out seemed to be an icy expanse through an eternal night. There was no other sound but the wail of the wind. "Where are we?" was all he could say as he glanced around his new surroundings. This was too weird. 

"This must be trap," Natsume said, staying on guard as usual. His training with the Dangerous Ability Class really honed him into a versatile fighter fit to do any kind of mission. He told Ruka to be careful and scanned the area for any suspicious character. Sad to say, the snowstorm was seriously disrupting his sight, and it was hard to move around in that kind of harsh weather. 

"It's very cold, isn't it?" Ruka's frosted breath was instantly torn apart by the wind. The snow, the ice, and the wind made him shiver tremendously. "This is far too real to be an illusion." 

Natsume wasn't trembling one bit. The heat flowing in his body provided him comfort during cold weather. He could go on in this storm without a coat or any protection, because of his Alice of Fire. But his best friend couldn't, a fact that made him concerned. He knew he shouldn't use his Alice too much, but Ruka needed some warmth or else he might collapse. With a flick of his finger, he conjured a flame in front of Ruka. 

"What is this?" Ruka asked, looking baffled. 

"Isn't it obvious?" Natsume said in an icy tone. Though his face remained emotionless, his eyes were on Ruka's blue ones. "That'll heat things up. Now let's go." He started walking off. 

Hesitantly, Ruka said, "Wait up!" He caught up with him and walked by his side, as the lighted flame followed him. It was nice of Natsume to use his fire, Ruka thought, as he presented a smile. Natsume instantly rolled his eyes away from him, and Ruka just chuckled. His best friend was sure thick when it comes to showing affections. 

They moved through the whirling snow. It was very difficult to see. "Stay close. Don't get lost," Natsume said. 

"I'm right behind you," Ruka replied. 

Natsume checked everywhere for any signs of life, but there was only snow everywhere. As far as he knew, this area was getting on his nerves. This area was probably created by some fan boy with the Dimension Alice or something. Natsume would like to get his hands on him and strangle him to death. 

"Natsume, where'd you go? Where are you?" 

The flame-caster turned around. Ruka was gone. He could hear him clearly, but he had no idea where he'd wandered off to. He couldn't use his eyes to locate him. He could only use the sound of Ruka's voice as a clue to locate him. 

"It's hard to see here. This isn't right." Ruka was getting a little panicky. "Wait. Something's here. I'm going to see what it is." 

"No! Don't move!" Natsume shouted. A sudden burst of light blinded him for a moment—something was happening. "Hey! Ruka! Where are you?!" This light was no good news to him. Ruka must've have triggered something that caused the blinding light. 

"Whoa! Natsume, there are monsters!" Ruka shouted. 

Instinctively, Natsume guessed what Ruka had found: a portal. Its faint light had probably lured Ruka and when he got close enough to the portal, it got activated. Ruka had unleashed monsters. Natsume heard Ruka yelling out his name again and a second later he saw him running away from a monster. "Ruka!" He conjured two flames in his hands. He was going to help the blonde boy, but a monster appeared behind him and attacked him. Natsume managed to avoid the attack by jumping sideward. He looked at the monster. It was nothing he had ever seen before in real life. The monster was a crystallized behemoth. 

The monster chasing after Ruka was a crystallized Cerberus and a vicious one to be exact. Ruka was at a disadvantage, since his Alice wasn't the offensive type. In addition to that, there were no animals he could ask for help. "What should I do?" he muttered, as he mentally cursed himself. 

The behemoth came charging at Natsume. He jumped backwards, and then hauled two fireballs at it. The creature let out a roar and attempted to attack Natsume again. He stepped backward to avoid its sharp claws and teeth. He made a fire whip and hit the creature with full force. However, it doesn't seem to be affected by the attack. The behemoth was pretty damn strong. 

Ruka ducked just in time before the oversized dog could eat his head off. He felt so helpless in that critical situation. Was there nothing he could do? He was sure that Natsume was doing his best with the other monster, while he could only run away and avoid the dog's attacks. He can't even use his Animal Pheromone Alice. Cerberus raised its paw to stomp him. Fortunately, Ruka saw this and ran away quickly. The dog jumped up and when it landed behind Ruka, it slashed him with its claws. Ruka could feel the pain running through his body as he pummeled to the cold, snowy ground. He was hit and wounded. "I'm so useless…" he said in a low voice, clenching his fists hard. "My Alice can't even protect myself… Wait… Alice…?" An idea suddenly hit him. Of course, his Alice can help him! Why didn't he think of this before? 

Cerberus circled him like a scavenger, getting ready to pounce on him any minute. Its blood-shot eyes screamed horror and the drool coming out of the three heads' mouth was repulsive. It was drooling like any dog would. 

Ruka smiled at this. He slowly got back to his feet and he had this confident expression on his face. Sure, there were no normal animals around, but there was an animal right in front of him. Cerberus may be a crystallized monster, but it was still a beast that can be tamed. Concentrating hard, Ruka closed his eyes and activated his Animal Pheromone Alice. The monster started approaching him, growling fiercely. It opened its mouth to bite Ruka, but it stopped all of the sudden. Ruka opened his eyes and looked up at the over-sized dog. "Let's be friends, okay?" he said as he extended his hand. 

The monster took a sniff of Ruka's hand before it lay down on its belly. Ruka touched its cold and frozen nose and smiled. "You're not such a bad fellow after all," he said, patting one of its head. Task completed. Ruka had successfully tamed the three-headed monster with his Animal Pheromone Alice. 

It took Natsume ten whole minutes to destroy the behemoth. If all the traps and monsters were that tough, he could see himself exhausted by the time they reach the goal line. He consumed a lot of his Fire Alice when he fought with the behemoth, but he was still strong enough to move on. It was big relief for him to see Ruka unharmed, though he was fairly surprised to see the Cerberus acting sweetly with him. Leave it to Ruka to tame animals all the time. Natsume was rather impressed. 

Ruka started walking ahead, giving Natsume a full view of his wounded back. "You're hurt," Natsume said, with a hint of concern in his voice. 

"Huh? Oh…" Ruka swallowed hard. "Well… This is nothing really." He looked up at Natsume and showed him an assured smile. He can't afford to look weak in front of him. He still has to go through this challenge no matter what. 

"Ruka, quit this challenge," Natsume said firmly. He didn't quite expect the challenge to be this dangerous. It would greatly distress him whenever his friends get hurt. Since Ruka was wounded, Natsume thought it would be better for Ruka to back out so he could rest. The wounds looked very serious and Natsume can't stand looking at them. "You'll be a burden to me." 

"No, I won't quit. I can still go on." Ruka was very determined to prove himself to the fan boys what he was capable of. To back out of the challenge would seriously hurt his pride. He was sure that Natsume was only thinking of his welfare and he appreciated the thought. 

"Tch… Then don't get in my way…" Natsume said, and Ruka just nodded. But Natsume really wanted to say 'take care' to Ruka. As usual, he can't really express his real emotions towards the ones he cared. 

* * *

Alone in her Special Star room while Natsume was out doing something, Mikan was sprawled on the living room floor reading her favorite manga, M to N no Shouzou, by Higuchi Tachibana. There was still time left before dinner, so she decided to read to help past the time. Besides, the book she was holding was the latest release and the plot was really getting interesting. She absolutely adored the Masochistic girl in that story. The girl kind of reminded her of herself, since she also possessed some masochistic traits. And the leading male somehow reminded her of her favorite teacher, Narumi, who was a narcissist. By the time she was finished with the book, it was almost time for dinner. Her tummy was grumbling, begging her to feed it. 

"I wonder what's for dinner," she said to herself as she stood up. She was already clad in her casual clothes, which was a yellow blouse with ¾ sleeves and white short shorts. She rubbed her tummy, since it was grumbling again, and chuckled to herself. She placed the manga back on its respective shelf and walked towards the door. As soon as she reached for the knob, the door suddenly opened and a high school student lunged forward, and hugged Mikan with all her might. 

"Mikan-chan!" the high school girl sputtered. She had ice-silver crystal eyes and shoulder-length, wavy, platinum hair. "It's good to see you again!" She pulled herself away to face the brunette. 

Mikan looked brightly at the older girl. "Nobara-chan, you're back!" She smiled. "Since when?" 

"I've just arrived a while ago. I was so excited to see you again that I didn't even bother retiring to my room yet." Nobara presented her sweet and bashful smile to the brunette. Her full name was Ibaragi Nobara, also known as the Ice Princess because of her Ice Alice. A shy and cute girl, Nobara was a powerful Alice of the Dangerous Ability Class and one of Persona's favorite students. Other students acted coldly towards her, and because of that she was lonely all the time. The only time she brightened up was the time when Mikan warmed up to her and became her very first genuine friend in the Academy. Mikan had also pulled her out of the darkness, just like what she did to Natsume. Nobara has deep respect for her. "All missions were temporarily ceased and all the student operatives were called back." Nobara also takes on missions for the Academy and her missions were highly dangerous. 

"That's great!" Mikan chirped, holding Nobara's hands. "That means you can join the Alice Festival this year!" Nobara rarely joined any special events in the school because of her tasks, so she was delighted to have the opportunity to spend the Alice Festival with her beloved Mikan. 

The two girls chatted for a while, and sooner or later they went to the dining room for a bite to eat, and the room was already filled with students busy stuffing their mouths with delicious food. Nobara was a high school student, but it doesn't mean that she wasn't welcomed to eat there. And when the two of them sat down to dinner, some boys turned their heads at Mikan. Two members of the Geeky Sisters, Ogasawara Nonoko and Umenomiya Anna, approached them, with pretty smiles on their faces, and greeted them a pleasant evening before they sat down right across them. Mikan greeted them back cheerfully, but Nobara only smiled at them. Nobara was still very shy when it comes to other people. 

"By the way, Mikan-chan, where's Natsume-kun?" Anna asked as she picked up the meat with her fork. "Aren't you two always together for dinner?" 

"Now that you've mentioned it, I don't see Ruka-kun anywhere too," Nonoko added, taking a sip of her grape juice. 

Mikan grimaced and sighed. "I don't know where they are. They just told me that they have something to do," she said, playing with her fork. 

"How are things going with you and Natsume-kun?" Nobara asked her, as she always liked seeing the smile on Mikan's face whenever she was with Natsume. Nobara was not really that close to Natsume, but they were still in the same class. She had always known Natsume as the cold-hearted boy and observed him from afar. She understood why Natsume changed because of Mikan, why he was able to smile again. Mikan was a strong person, unlike herself, and she wanted to be with Mikan in order to gain the strength she needed. Nobara was able to overcome the loneliness that plagued her because of Mikan. 

"As usual, he's a big perverted moron," Mikan blurted out as she poked her steak with the fork. "But he's still good." She took a piece of steak and bit it off the fork. 

"Natsume-kun still teases you I bet," Nobara said, giggling.

"Yeah… He can be so full of himself sometimes." Mikan turned to Nobara and let out a sigh. "But no matter how arrogant he is, he's still a nice guy." 

"Mikan-chan, you really love Natsume-kun," Nonoko said. 

"And Natsume-kun loves you back as much as you do," Anna added before taking another bite of her food. 

The two girls were positively right; Natsume loved her more than anything else. The lad was willing to do anything for her sake, even though he insults her, teases her, and harasses her. Being a pervert and bad in music were two of Natsume's goofy points, but those were the things Mikan found amusing in him. He was handsome, yes, and he was always calm, but he has this gentle side that she adored. 

* * *

The intense vibrating returned and the halo of light surround the two boys. This time they weren't as surprised like before. The light glowed brighter and before they knew it, they were teleported back to the Eastern Woods. It seemed that beating the two monsters was the key to getting out of that snowstorm. But they can't let their guard down just yet. Who knows what it could be up next? More monsters? This challenge was more serious than they thought. 

They wandered deeper into the forest until they saw a spring. The weird thing about this spring was the fact that the color of the water was pitch-black. Natsume and Ruka had never seen anything like that before. It could be trap set by those fan boys again, so they had to be careful. Natsume stood at the edge of the spring, with his back towards Ruka. He threw a fireball towards the water and nothing happened. It seemed pretty normal. But the place was quiet, too quiet. It made the place feel somehow suspicious. 

Ruka looked back and noticed a suspicious shadow moving about behind some trees. "Natsume, someone's there!" he pointed out. In an instant, the two boys ran towards the trees, but they got pushed back by an invisible barrier. Ruka gasped out loud as he landed back first on the ground. His wounds were still fresh from his earlier encounter with a monster. 

On the other hand, Natsume maintained his balance and stood firm. He hauled two fireballs at the barrier in an attempt to destroy it. Unfortunately, the barrier was too strong for his Fire Alice. "Tch… Another trap," he mumbled. He motioned over to Ruka and helped him up. "Can you still move?" 

Wincing in pain, Ruka plainly nodded his head. He wasn't going to give up because of his wounds. "What are we going to do now?" he asked the raven-haired lad as he got back to his feet. "We can't get out of here with that barrier around." 

Ruka was right. The barrier has to be destroyed, Natsume thought. But his Alice can't even scratch it. Natsume was going to try firing again, but he stopped when he saw something move in the bushes. Instinctively, he followed the movement. The mysterious figure disappeared up a tree, and then it reappeared inside the barrier. Before Natsume could attack it, the figure threw its body into the spring. It disappeared beneath the water without so much as a splash or a ripple. After a few seconds, it emerged from the water and revealed its identity to them. It was a girl. Her image was reflected on the surface of the water. She was floating above the water. To Natsume's and Ruka's surprise, the girl was none other than Mikan. 

Mikan looked at them, with a blank expression on her face. Her amber eyes were lifeless and her skin was so pale. "Help…" she spoke softly. "Natsume…" 

"Sakura!" Ruka shouted, as his eyes were as big as saucers. 

Natsume was as surprised as Ruka. How in the world did Mikan end up in the Eastern Woods? Did she find out about the challenge? No, that can't be it. Natsume had specifically kept it a secret from her. He didn't want her to worry or anything. But Mikan was right there in the middle of the spring, begging him to help her. He had to urge to pull her into his arms. Slowly, he walked towards the spring, his heart pounding wildly. He felt nervous, but he managed to retain his calm façade. 

"Help me… Natsume…" she said, dropping on her knees. "I'm in so much pain." She wrapped her arms around herself and began trembling. 

"Sakura, Natsume's coming!" Ruka told her. "Hold on!" 

"Natsume, Ruka, I need you two…" Mikan said. 

With that, Natsume halted and narrowed his eyes at Mikan. Natsume felt suspicious about Mikan, but he had no way to tell if the Mikan right there was an illusion or a fake. Because of what she said, Natsume was convinced that it wasn't the real Mikan. He clenched his fists and through gritted teeth he said, "I won't forgive you for using her to fool us." He was very angry and his fierce eyes showed it all. He pointed his arm at Mikan and unleashed a strong fire attack to burn her. 

"Natsume, what do think you're doing to Sakura?!" Ruka asked in surprise, grabbing Natsume's shoulder. "Stop it!" 

"AHHH!!" Mikan screamed out loud in the midst of the flames. 

"Sakura!" Ruka was going to make a dive until Natsume pulled him back. "Let go of me, Natsume!" he demanded, glaring at his best friend. 

"She's not Mikan," Natsume said calmly as he averted his eyes away from Ruka. 

"What? How can you be sure?" 

"Remember what she called you a while ago, dummy." 

"Eh? It's Ru—" Ruka suddenly got it. Why didn't he notice it before? The Mikan on the lake just called him by his name without the 'pyon'. For the record, Mikan had always called him 'Ruka-pyon' since they were in elementary. Natsume was able to figure out that it wasn't the real Mikan just by taking note of that little detail. "You're really sharp as always." He sighed disappointedly. As he turned his head back at the fake Mikan, he found the burning scene to be very unpleasant. The fake Mikan was slowly turning into ashes. 

"We were almost tricked," Natsume said, facing Ruka seriously, as he slipped his hands into his pockets. "We have to be more careful. Who knows what those idiots have in store for us." And by idiots, he meant the fan boys. He had more reasons to kill them now, because they dared to use Mikan's own image against him. 

* * *

"Do you really think its okay for me to spend the night here?" Nobara asked nervously, turning to Mikan in the bedroom. "I don't think Natsume-kun will like it if I'm here." 

"It's okay. Don't worry about Natsume. He's just mean." Mikan took her nightgown from a hook in the closet. 

Nobara sighed and sat down, with her legs curled under her, on Mikan's king-sized bed. "Will he come visit you tonight?" she asked. 

Mikan nodded her head. "Of course, it's his turn to visit me." She picked up her hairbrush and started brushing her silky brown hair. 

The girls found themselves chatting a lot as they got ready for bed. Mikan had told Nobara a lot about Hotaru, the new friends she made, and about her boyfriend. Nobara was delighted to see the smile on Mikan's face as she talked about Natsume. Nobara also talked about her experiences outside the Academy. It wasn't easy being a student operative. But Nobara was already used to the jobs the school was giving her. 

Mikan finished brushing her long hair and handed her hairbrush to her friend. Nobara tossed her platinum hair back and began to brush her hair. As soon as she was done, she put down the brush on the bedside table and looked at Mikan. "Umm… Mikan-chan…" She fiddled with her fingers as she spoke. "I was wondering if I can help out the Special Ability Class for the festival." Since her class won't be joining the festivities, she figured it would be wise to spend her time helping others. And she definitely wanted to help out Mikan's class. 

"Sure you can, Nobara-chan," Mikan answered instantly. 

"Really?" Nobara's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. 

Mikan leaned over and hugged her. "Yes, really!" 

Together they got into the wide bed and pulled up the covers. For a while they continued to talk, but their talk was interrupted by yawns. Then Mikan's voice stopped, she turned over to look at the wall clock, and immediately sat up when she saw the time. Nobara stared at her in confusion, and as she was about to ask, Mikan broke in by saying, "Where is that Natsume?!" 

Nobara faintly smiled. "Oh, isn't he supposed to visit you?" She sat up as well and hugged her legs close to her chest. "Maybe he went straight to bed." 

"Eh? No way…" Mikan shook her head and hugged her pillow tight. "He will never miss out a night. And he's the one always telling me to be prompt," she said with a shrug. She decided to check up on Natsume to see if he was really asleep already. She jumped off the bed, put on her silk robe, took out the keys, and walked towards the door hastily. 

"Do you want me to accompany you?" Nobara asked. 

"No… I can handle this…" Mikan threw the Ice Princes a smile. "Besides, you're probably tired from your trip, Nobara-chan. I want you to rest up, okay?" She opened the door, stepped out of the room, and closed the door behind her. It was a good thing her room was just beside Natsume's. It wasn't such a hassle to visit him every now and then. 

She used the keys to unlock the door and eased it open quietly, only a crack, and peeked in. The room was dark and it seemed that nobody was there. She switched on the lights to get a better look and she found no Natsume on the bed or on the couch. She went to check the bathroom and the balcony, and still there wasn't any sign of Natsume. Where could he be? Mikan was starting to worry. It had been a long time since Natsume dared to go anywhere late at night without telling her. There was no use pondering over it. She could call him through her cellular phone and ask him where he was. When she was about to leave, she saw a card lying on top of Natsume's study desk. She picked up the card, which was made of metal, and read the details on it. 

"Natsume's in trouble!" Mikan said frantically. She dropped the card and ran out of the room instantly. She stumbled through hallways to the stairs, with only her boyfriend in her mind. She was a good runner, so it didn't take her long to rush out of the dorm. She didn't care about her attire. What mattered to her was to get to Natsume before anything bad happens. She really didn't expect her fan club to challenge Natsume. She figured that she was too naïve to realize their real motives against her boyfriend. She felt rather guilty about this. 

She almost reached the Eastern Woods until she was stopped by a cloaked man. Standing firm and looking brave, she looked up at the man who maliciously grinned at her. Mikan swallowed hard. She guessed that the man was not part of the Academy. "Who are you?" she asked. 

He aimed a gun at her. Then with a sweep of his gloved hand he pushed her to the ground. "You know me very well, Sakura Mikan," he said in a deep voice. He took off his hood and laughed scornfully. He had unruly auburn hair and a pair of amethyst eyes. 

Mikan's eyes grew as wide as marbles. "Reo?!" she gasped. Mikan couldn't believe her eyes. It was really Mouri Reo, a talented and famous singer who was once a student in Alice Academy. As a Special Star before, Reo used to take missions, which eventually led him to hate the Academy. He later joined the Anti-Alice Organization and became one of its leading members. Mikan first met him when she was still ten and it wasn't a very good experience. "What are you doing here?" 

Reo stepped forward, putting pressure on the trigger of the gun. "I came here for you, Nullifier, or should I say, Thief..." 

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: Reo showed up and plans to kidnap Mikan. Who's going to help her if Natsume and Ruka are still doing the challenge in the Eastern Woods? I included Nobara in this chapter. I figured I should add her in as earlier as possible. Besides, she's one of my favorite characters. She's so cute. Do you think Natsume and Ruka can beat the challenge? Well, if you want to find out you have to read for the next chapter. Please review and no flaming. 


	8. Their Kind of Trouble

JC: In the last chapter, Natsume and Ruka took up the challenge laid down by the Mikan Fan Club. The two of them managed to pass two trials now, but Ruka got wounded. Meanwhile, Mikan was confronted by Reo, a member of the Anti-Alice group. Let's see how the characters get out of the mess, shall we? 

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 08: Their Kind of Trouble 

The night lapsed into tense silence. From the nearby woods came the sounds of insects. From high above the sky the stars twinkled magnificently. It was a great night to go star-gazing, but it wasn't really a lucky night for a certain brunette. As she still sat on the ground, knees together and hands trembling, she stared at the man before her with brave yet scared eyes. Reo was fully aware of Mikan's rare Nullification Alice, due to prior experience, and he knew his Alice would not have an effect on her. He really didn't want to use a gun, but it was necessary to threaten the young nullifier to come with him. Reo was sent on mission by his superiors to apprehend Sakura Mikan. 

"You can't get away with this," Mikan told the singer with lilting bravado. She had escaped Reo's clutches before and she was sure that she could do it again. She was no damsel-in-distress and she refused to be one in that situation. She could use her second Alice on Reo, but she must have contact with him. Attacking Reo was the better choice than running away. But his handgun was a problem for her. Well, she was willing enough to take the risk. Lightning quick, she leaped up, pushed the gun away, and tackled Reo to the ground. 

"Get off!" Reo growled, shoving the young girl away. He then yanked her to the ground beneath him, hand clamped over her mouth. She couldn't breathe, and she panicked, clutching at Reo's visor grip. "I would stop struggling if I were you." He pointed his weapon to her forehead, the barrel pressed against her skin. 

Mikan closed her eyes and thought about Natsume. She really wished he was there to save her. She didn't want to be taken away by Reo or the Anti-Alice group. She has grown to love the Academy and the students so much that she already considered the school as her second home. It would pain her to join the Anti-Alice Organization. 

The weapon still grazing her skin, Reo pulled his hands away from her mouth and nose. "The organization is a lot better than this filthy academy," he said, drawing his face nearer to hers. "And your Alices are very valuable." He pulled the gun away and placed a short kiss on her temple. Mikan shivered in response to his sudden action. 

"No! I won't join!" she shouted, trying to push him away. Her effort was futile, because Reo was a lot stronger than her. "Let me go!" She folded her legs and kicked Reo on the stomach, pushing him away in an instant. Adrenaline pumping, she rose with an iron fist and punched the guy to his left—Reo crumpled to the ground with a grunt. She was fairly surprised with herself. Who knew she could punch like that? 

Reo shrugged. "You really are interesting." He stood up and narrowed his eyes at her. He aimed his gun at her and fired several shots but didn't hit her. "I'll really shoot you if you don't come with me," he threatened. 

Mikan ached inside, fighting the urge to say no to him. But would she rather be shot than join the organization? She was in a real pinch. If she were to die, then what would happen to Natsume, Hotaru, and her friends? However, if she would join the AAO, then she will be an enemy of Alice Academy. It was really frustrating to think of the right decision to make. She let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding. She closed her eyes, knowing she was going to get shot with her answer. She will forever remain loyal to the school. To become an enemy, to betray her friends were worst than death itself for her. 

"Are you ready to come with me?" Reo asked, putting pressure on the trigger. 

"No…" she said quietly. "I won't join your ranks." 

Their eyes locked. His so angry and worn, while hers so solemn and innocent. Reo fired again but only a warning shot to threaten her more. However, his shot didn't seem to scare the young girl at all. She kept her eyes on him, looking brave and strong, as her hair loosely fluttered with the wind. She was breath-taking, and Reo was mesmerized by her for a moment. 

"You're really stubborn, just like that person," Reo said, putting his gun away. He had no heart to shoot Mikan, because he wasn't actually a murderer. Besides, his mission was to capture Mikan alive. His superiors had great interest in her Alices and they want her alive and well for their motives against Alice Academy. "First, my Alice, now, my gun is useless against you…" He scratched his head in frustration and looked at her as he pursed his lips. 

"Why won't you just give up and go back to the Academy?" Mikan asked. "I'm sure Narumi-sensei and the others will forgive you." 

He let out a sigh. "You're really naïve, but still charming," he said, running his hand through his auburn hair. "C'mon. I haven't got all night. Don't try to run away or you'll be sorry." He tugged on her arm. 

The threat fueled Mikan's stubbornness even more. She wasn't about to go anywhere with him. Digging her fingers into his arm, she ordered, "Take your hand off my arm!" 

"Sure, whatever…" But no sooner did he release his firm grip than he punched her on the stomach, knocking the breath out of her. He dipped his head and butted his right shoulder into her solar plexus. His arms wrapped around the back of her legs and he straightened. Using a fireman's carry, Reo hauled her away. 

"Mikan-chan!" someone called out as three ice daggers head towards Reo. 

Reo widened his eyes the second he saw the daggers. He ducked just in time to avoid them and looked up at the person who was responsible for the ice attack. "You...?" Putting Mikan carefully on the ground, he narrowed his eyes at the person and stood up. "I know you. You're the Ice Princess, Ibaragi Nobara." Who would've guessed she'll appear? Reo was always updated the latest reports, news, events, and the student operatives in the school. He was very particular with the student operatives, and he had studied their profile, data, and capabilities as an Alice. Nobara was one of the student operatives and a student of the Dangerous Ability Class, so Reo was quite knowledgeable about her strengths and weaknesses. 

"I won't let you take, Mikan-chan," Nobara said, as the temperature suddenly decreased around them. Since Mikan was taking a lot of time in Natsume's room, Nobara decided to check up on her. As she slightly opened the door, she saw Mikan, anxiety etched on her face, running off through the hallways, as if the whole dorm was on fire. Nobara got worried and followed Mikan to the Eastern Forest. It took her a while to catch up, because Mikan was a lot faster in running. 

"I'd like to see you try," Reo said. 

Nobara took the challenge. She extended her arm towards Reo, then two ice daggers came out and headed towards him. In a flash, Reo drew out his gun and shot the two daggers to pieces with great accuracy. Considering how cunning Reo was—she was definitely not to be underestimated. So when Reo fired shots at her, she quickly blocked the bullets by summoning an iceberg about her height from the ground. She touched the iceberg, and the ground started shaking. Within a matter of seconds, sharp icicles emerged from the ground.

"Shit!" Reo gasped as he jumped out of the icicles' path. It was a close call for him. "This isn't over." He knelt on one knee and fired more shots at Nobara, only to have the bullets blocked again by her ice. Determined to defeat her before he could get frozen, he removed his earring, the control device, to use his Alice. 

"Oh, no…" Nobara immediately threw more ice daggers at Reo. She cannot possibly have him use his Alice on her. But the singer was quick on his feet as he merely jumped and fired shots at the daggers she threw. Her heart was racing fast. She had to stop him for Mikan's sake. She raised her hand, concentrating hard, and formed a cold-blue sphere with her palm. The sphere will be able to turn Reo to solid ice. But before she could do anything, Reo already activated his Voice Pheromone Alice. 

"_STOP!_" Reo commanded, smirking arrogantly. That one word shut down her Alice and made her dropped her hand to her side. 

Her mind was still in control, but her body wasn't. Struggling to break free, she closed her eyes and violently shook her head, as Reo was inputting more commands into her. Try as she might, though, she couldn't resist Reo's Alice. She dropped on her knees, holding her head. Her eyes were losing color fast. She was almost turned into a pawn when two guys appeared and kicked Reo out of the way. "Eh..? What happened?" She slowly turned her head to where Reo used to stand and saw two unfamiliar boys: one had platinum-blue hair and the other had dark-hair with green highlights. "Who are you?" she asked harmlessly. 

The handsome lad with the dark hair turned to the Ice Princess, revealing his hazel eyes. "Are you all right, miss?" he asked, extending his hand to help her. Nobara took his hand, and he pulled her up carefully. He took a moment to gaze at her face before he smiled widely. "Wow, you're pretty cute!" 

Nobara blushed at the unexpected comment. "Um… Thank you…" she said softly, feeling very shy. 

"Ryou, stop flirting and help me with Mikan-sama!" the other lad yelled, lifting Mikan's head carefully. He was checking her for any injuries as Ryou approached him and knelt down right beside him. "She seems okay. She's just unconscious." He smiled in relief, as Ryou let out a loud sigh. 

"Kyo, we better take Mikan-sama to safety before that guy—" Ryou wasn't able to finish because he was suddenly cut off by Reo who yelled, "_FREEZE!" _All of the sudden, Ryou, Kyo, and Nobara couldn't move one bit, as if their bodies were frozen solid. Ryou was starting to panic a little. "What the hell? I can't move. What's going on?!" 

Reo regained composure and pointed the gun at them. "_Now, you, with the weird eyes, hand her over to me_." There was nothing but seriousness in his voice, as he continued using his Alice. "_The rest of you stay put!_"

No matter how much he struggled, Kyo's body wouldn't listen to him. He lifted Mikan bridal style, taking note that she was as light as a feather, and grimaced at the thought of handing her to the Anti-Alice member. Slowly, he walked towards Reo, as he silently cursed himself in his mind. His Alice was of no use at this point, but he could think of a way to get out the mess. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw ice particles on the ground, making him realize what Nobara's Alice was. As he tried to think of a plan to use Nobara's Alice, he felt the brunette stirred. His lips curved into a small smile when Mikan vaguely opened her eyes. At that moment, a striking yet perfect plan came to mind. It would be a little reckless, but it was sure worth a try. 

"Kyo-kun…what…where am I?" Mikan faintly said, and Kyo winked an eye at her. "Eh?" 

"Sshh… Mikan-sama, please pretend that you're still unconscious." 

"Why?" 

"I'm under this guy's control…" Kyo said as he looked back at Reo seriously. "I think he has the Voice Pheromone Alice." 

"Reo…" 

"Mikan-sama, I have a plan and I need your help," Kyo told her with a straight face. He was still inches away from Reo, but he managed to whisper his plan to Mikan. He was sweating meagerly, though his hands were icy cold from uneasiness, as he stood right before Reo. He handed Mikan over to him as his heart pounded fast. This wasn't going to be easy, and he hoped that his beloved Mikan would be all right after they execute the plan. 

"Mikan-chan…" Nobara muttered under her breath. She really wanted to save her cute friend from the AAO, but her body wasn't listening to her one bit. All she could do was to stand there and watch. 

Ryou gritted his teeth. "Can't we do anything?" He can't even use his Alice, because Reo, with the use of his Alice, ordered him to stay put. He would really love to kick Reo's butt, though his current situation wasn't the best for him. 

"_Now then…_" Reo first glanced at the brunette before at Kyo. _"I want you and your two companions over there to D—_"

"NO!" Mikan broke in, jerking up, and hugging Reo in an instant. Of course, Reo was surprised, because all along he thought she was unconscious. Mikan activated her Nullification Alice and released her friends from Reo's control. With the Voice Pheromone Alice nullified, it was time for Kyo to make his move. "Kyo-kun, do it!" 

Snapping his fingers, Kyo turned to his best friend, a confident expression plastered on his face, and said, "Mind taking the gun away?" And when Ryou just stared at him blankly, Kyo raised a brow and shrugged. "Hey, you idiot! Didn't you hear what I said?!" 

"Don't call me idiot!" Ryou said, snapping back to his senses. He eyed on the handgun Reo was holding, activated his Alice of Magnetism, and took the gun away. The minute he held the gun he immediately liquefied it and turned it into handcuffs. His Alice allowed him to manipulate metals and changed their forms. He was planning on using the handcuffs for Reo.

Mikan had her hand on Reo's face, practically blocking his sight and mouth, as she continuously whacked his back with her fist. It was amazing how Reo could still carry her through all that. "Let me down!" she demanded, but Reo gripped her more tightly. She shoved his face twice and bit his shoulders like an angry dog. Her bite was rather painful, so Reo had no choice but to let her go. She landed on her two feet and quickly she motioned over to Kyo's side. 

"Give up, loser," Kyo mocked him, which only angered Reo more. Kyo then turned his head at Nobara and winked an eye. "Hey, Ice Girl, why don't you shut him up?" 

Nobara was speechless for a moment. "Um… Okay…" she replied to him and prepared to use her Alice. 

Since the nullifier was out of his grasp, Reo could freely use his Alice again. To no avail, his mouth got frozen shut by the Ice Princess before he could even utter one word. Reo was dumbfounded at this, not to mention that he felt so humiliated. He can't fight the students anymore. He had no weapon and he can't use his Alice. He was defeated, but it doesn't mean that he can't escape. He tried to make a run for it. 

"Oh, no, you don't!" Ryou shouted, rapidly using his Alice to cuff Reo's feet. He smirked triumphantly when he succeeded and saw Reo tumbling towards the ground. "Serves you right!" He let out a maniacal laugh. 

"Good thinking, Ryou," Kyo said, patting the dark-haired lad on his shoulder. "Now then let's secure him so he won't get away." He turned to Nobara, giving her a significant look. 

Nobara understood what he was trying to say and nodded her head. Walking over to Reo, she activated her Alice and started freezing Reo's arms and feet. As soon as she was done, she rushed towards Mikan and gave her a hug. "Mikan-chan, I'm glad you're all right," she said. 

"Me too...And thanks for the help, Nobara-chan…" Mikan said as she returned the hug. After a few seconds, she broke the hug with Nobara and looked at her two saviors, Ryou and Kyo. "You guys did a great job. Thank you so much!" She presented her first-class smile at them, making the two friends blush like hell. 

Kyo felt like something was caught in his throat. He didn't know what to say to Mikan. He was all confident a while ago, but he turned all shy right in front of the girl he loved. His brain told him to say something, but his heart was pounding way too loudly. He merely chuckled and bowed his head at her. Nonetheless, he felt really honored to be thanked by her. It really meant a lot to him that he was able to do something big for Mikan. He was sure that Ryou was feeling the same thing, though he sensed some weird vibes coming from Ryou. As he glanced at his friend, he was surprised to see him already holding a rose and kissing Mikan's hand. 

Kissing her hand was so sweet, Ryou thought. He gave the rose to Mikan, which he pulled out of nowhere, and smiled at her. His gorgeous smile was capable of charming any lady, but for some reason his smile had no effect on Mikan or Nobara. He knew Mikan was different from other girls but the Ice Princess too. Disappointed, though his face still retained that smile, Ryou put an arm over her shoulder. "Let's head back to dorm. I'm sure you're tired, Mikan-sama." 

"What do you think you're doing, Ryou?!" Kyo uttered, clenching his fists, his eyes burning with jealousy. 

Ryou stuck out his tongue and rolled his eyes away. "Stay here and help Miss Ice Girl here…" he said. "I'll take Mikan-sama back to her room." 

Nobara knew that Mikan was popular with the boys, but she didn't expect any boy to be fresh with her. Ryou would be in serious trouble if Natsume saw him with Mikan, Nobara shuddered at the thought. Anyway, she still had to deal with Reo and bring him to the security forces. And the moment she spun around, she gasped as she saw two men in black standing beside Reo. "More Anti-Alice members," she said, catching everyone's attention. 

"They're gonna help that Voice Pheromone guy!" Kyo said. 

Ryou looked confused. "Umm… Voice Pheromone…Who?" Because of that, Kyo and the two girls sweat dropped. "What?" 

"And you call me an idiot," Kyo muttered with a sigh of frustration. "That guy we just took down has the Voice Pheromone Alice. That's how he was controlling us before." Honestly, if Ryou asked another dumb question he'll sure send him flying. 

One of the Anti-Alice members knelt down and touched Reo, as the other guy faced the students. He was awfully familiar to Mikan. Since it was night time, his face can't be clearly seen. Nobara tried to use her Alice to stop the two, but it suddenly died down. Of course, everyone was surprised at this, especially Nobara. Mikan surely didn't activate her Alice at that moment, so she guessed that it must be the work of a Barrier Alice. And then it hit her like a rock. Shidou. The guy facing them was Shidou, a loyal subordinate of Reo. 

Kyo took the matter into consideration. Being the fast thinker that he was, he concluded that it was the work of a Barrier Alice. He was right indeed. Furthermore, he knew Mikan would never use her Alice to stop the Ice Princess from attacking. "We can't use our Alice against this guy, Ryou," he said, taking a step forward. "So, let's try a different approach." Kyo had once again thought of a brilliant plan. 

Ryou was ready for it, and Mikan was concerned about them. As the two focused their eyes on Shidou, Mikan happened to see the other man pulling out a gun from his coat. "No!" She went in front of the boys just in time to block the shot the man fired. Pain ran through her body within seconds as she let out a gasp. Blood splashed at the boys uniforms. Everything went in slow motion as Mikan slowly crumbled. Ryou, who was utterly stunned at the scene, managed to catch her in his arms and knelt down to support her weight. The bullet pierced through her right shoulder and she was losing blood. Her friends couldn't bear the sight of it. 

"Mikan-chan!" Nobara called out, kneeling to her level, and clasped Mikan's hand between hers. 

"Mikan-sama!" Ryou held her closer. 

Angered, Kyo looked over at the Anti-Alice members. He had the deadly urge to kill them. "How dare you!" he shouted, clenching his fists hard. "I won't forgive you for this!" He took a step forward, bravely challenging them. He wanted revenge and he wasn't afraid to face the AAO by himself.

However, the three AAO members were stupefied as well. Reo and Shidou glared at the other guy, making him squeal like a sissy boy. "You idiot!" Shidou blurted, grabbing the guy's black tie. "You weren't supposed to hurt the Nullifier!" The mission they were assigned was very clear: Apprehend Sakura Mikan and bring her back to Headquarters unharmed. Shidou wanted to pulverize the guy's face, but unfortunately he needed to save his strength for his Alice. 

"I was aiming for those guys, but she—" The guy tried to explain. 

And Shidou broke in by saying, "Enough! Just use your damn Alice and get us out of here!" 

"Wait, you're not going anywhere!" Kyo shouted, running towards them. Panicking, the guy touched Shidou and Reo, and then activated his Alice to teleport them away. Kyo expected that to happen, but he really wanted to get his hands on them for hurting Mikan. Sighing, Kyo went back to the others and checked up on Mikan. Things weren't looking good for her. She was barely breathing and loosing blood fast. 

"Let's take her to hospital!" Ryou said, lifting Mikan up bridal style, obviously in a state of panic. The blood coming out of Mikan was completely staining his uniform. 

"You won't be able to make it in time on foot," Kyo said calmly before looking at Nobara. "Um… Nobara-san, was it?" 

"Yes…" Nobara replied in a frail voice. She was really worried for Mikan too. 

"Please make a snowboard out of ice and don't ask questions," Kyo said, setting his heterochromatic eyes on Mikan. 

Nobara nodded and pointed a finger at the ground. Tracing imaginary lines, she activated her Ice Alice and created a snowboard like Kyo requested. She wondered how a snowboard will help Mikan's condition, but she somehow learned to trust Kyo. "It's ready…" she told him. 

"Good…" Kyo picked up the board, not caring if it was cold, and closed his eyes. It was time for him to use his Alice. Focusing his energy, he activated his Alice and began altering the board's components. In a blink of the eye, the board's icy form changed to a more sturdy metallic state. "Reinforcement complete…" He dropped the board on the ground and motioned over to Ryou's side.

"The ice…became metal…?" Nobara muttered, looking surprised.

Kyo patted Ryou's shoulder as he glanced at Mikan. "Use your Alice and get moving, Ryou," he said, sighing deeply. 

Ryou smirked at his friend. "Impressive as usual…" He then hopped on the board and used his Alice of Magnetism to make it hover into the air. "I'll see you at the hospital!" After saying that, he flew off in a hurry towards the direction of the hospital. 

Nobara was going to chase after them when she noticed a faint look on Kyo's face that made her wonder. Certain she couldn't ask him about his feelings at the moment, she politely said, "Why don't we head to the hospital as well?" 

And Kyo didn't bother responding to her. In reality he was beginning to blame himself for what had happened to Mikan. As representative of the Mikan Fan Club, he swore to love her, to care for her, and to protect her like a true fan should. However, Mikan protected him and his friend instead by taking the blow. Guilt hit him badly. All he could was hope for her safety. His best friend would probably think of the same thing, considering how loyal he was to the brunette too. 

The Ice Princess who'd been staring at him for the last couple of minutes, trying to figure out what was going on his head, frowned at him. She was in a hurry to leave to be with Mikan, though she changed her mind after looking at Kyo. His sad yet handsome face didn't get by her. She pursed her lips and clasped her hands together. "Um… Can we…erm…" 

"Nobara-san, may you come with me to the Eastern Woods?" Kyo suddenly asked without looking at her. 

"Huh? Why?" 

"I'll explain on the way…" 

The two of them headed out to the Eastern Woods, running at full speed. Kyo had one thing on his mind and thinking about that guy made his stomach churn. Meanwhile, Nobara, though still quietly wondering about him, followed him closely. 

* * *

Flames flew into the air and inflicted damage on the Orc, a big, fat, ugly monster with a giant club as weapon. It let out a roar and swung its club aimlessly. It shuddered and struggled with the flames on its back. More fire attacks were launched, hitting every vulnerable parts of the Orc. Finally, after an almost endless assault, the Orc was burned to ashes. 

"Amazing," Ruka whispered. He was too worn out to help out his best friend in the battle against the Orc. He figured that the Orc was created by a Technical Class student with the Alice of turning drawings into reality. The Orc was tough to beat, he admitted, but it wasn't tough enough to beat Natsume. 

Exhausted from all the challenges, furious with the fan boys for their obsession with Mikan, Natsume punched a nearby tree and knelt down. He panted hard and coughed out blood. His Alice was sucking his life again. It was difficult to live with an unlimited Alice. He tried to minimize the use of his Alice during the challenge, but it wasn't possible. Well, he didn't regret using his Alice for the challenge. Everything he fought for was for Mikan and only Mikan. By winning the challenge, the fan club will be disbanded and he could live quietly as her boyfriend. He didn't know how many challenges were left, but he was confident to overcome it all. He got back to his feet and made his way to Ruka who'd been watching his whole battle. 

"You okay?" Ruka asked, fully aware of his condition. 

Purposely averting his eyes away, Natsume said, "Stop asking me like you're my mother." He shrugged and spun around. "I'm still standing, right? So, it's obvious that I'm okay." 

"I beg to differ." 

"Don't get cocky with me." 

Ruka slowly stood up, leaning against the tree for support. "I should be the one telling you that." 

"Idiot," Natsume muttered, slipping his hands into his pockets.

Ruka clucked at him. "No, you're the idiot. Stop acting cool all the time." 

The lecture from his friend making him want to sink into the ground, Natsume stared at his feet on the ground and let out a raw sigh of frustration. "Whatever…" 

Just as they were about to move on towards the next stage, Kyo appeared and called out to them. Natsume and Ruka were sick and tired of the challenge and they've been planning on taking out the ones responsible for it, namely Kyo and Ryou. And since they locked their eyes on Kyo, they let out a very dangerous aura. Under normal circumstances, Kyo would think of evaporating into thin air, but he had to tell them about Mikan—even if they kill him. 

"I'll burn you," Natsume threatened, setting his palm on fire. It wasn't an ordinary flame—it was a blue flame. Man, Natsume was way serious. 

Kyo calmly shook his head. "I'm not here to pick a fight," he said. "I'm here to tell you that Mikan-sama was shot and she's probably being treated in the hospital right now." 

"Sakura was shot?" Ruka gasped, and Natsume narrowed his crimson eyes at Kyo. "Are you pulling our leg?" 

"Would I lie about this kind of matter?" 

Natsume's flame grew even bigger and brighter. "You're using her again for your schemes, huh? You're really pathetic." 

Kyo bit his lip to prevent him from spewing insults at the flame-caster. "Say what you want, I don't care." His fists began trembling. "But I'm telling you that your girlfriend is hurt. Because of that, I'm stopping this challenge right here, right now!" He raised his voice to prove his point. 

Natsume and Ruka were still not convinced, because he might be leading them to a trap. But when Nobara appeared and told them about Mikan, they were completely stunned at the news. Within seconds, Natsume ran off. 

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: This was another long chapter. Phew! I'm exhausted. Well, how was it? I know there weren't much Natsume and Ruka in it, but I had to make space for Kyo and Ryou. See, Kyo isn't really a bad guy. This incident with Mikan will put pressure on the Black Cat. No, Reo isn't the one on the photo. It's another member, but I'm not telling. Please review and no flaming! 


	9. People Who Care

JC: Chapter Nine here. I've received hefty amount of reviews, which kept me inspired. Damn, I'm sorry if I can't update fast. I have a lot of things going on with my life. Anyway, it's been real and everyone wants to find out on what happened to Mikan. Please go on and read. 

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice. My property here is Kawashima Kyo and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 09: People Who Care 

The nurses and the doctor were still working on Mikan by the time Natsume and the others arrived. She was being given medication by IV, they had sedated her, and they were giving her two units of blood. They had also removed the bullet thrust in her right shoulder. Despite the care, Mikan wasn't out of the woods yet. The bullet happened to contain poison in it. The poison had already invaded some of Mikan's internal organs. The poison causing Mikan's Nullification Alice to fluctuate was making things harder for the doctor in charge of her. The doctor, Imai Subaru, was doing his best healing the young girl with his Alice. Sad to say, he only managed to minimize the poison's effect on her. 

Subaru was a handsome and intelligent man, gifted with the Alice of Healing. Cold and rational, he was the older brother of Imai Hotaru. He used to be a student in Alice Academy—a Special Star Student—and the vice-president of the student council. After graduating from Alice Academy, he immediately went to study at a medical university. It only took him three years to finish his curriculum and now he was a full-fledged doctor working in the hospital of the Academy. He was one of the people who knew Azumi Yuka, Mikan's mother, well and he looked up to her. Because of that, he vowed to care for Mikan. 

After two hours working on her, Subaru had closed the wound on her shoulder and healed it. The only problem left was the poison. He could only remove the poison with his Healing Alice if Mikan would lower down her Alice. However, it was impossible at the moment since the brunette was unconscious. All he could do was inject her with a special medicine to slow down the poison spreading inside her body. Once he was done and left the ICU, he saw Natsume, Kyo and Ryou standing near the doorway. Maintaining a cold façade, he walked past them as if they were invisible. 

"Hey," Natsume called, purposely standing right behind him. "How is she?" His voice was firm and there wasn't a hint of concern. Natsume was shooting Subaru one deadly glare at his back. He had been stressing about Mikan for two hours, while keeping calm in front of everybody. He had the right to know his girlfriend's condition and he seriously got pissed off at the rude action of the doctor. 

Flashing the raven-haired guy a cold look, he raised an eyebrow, obviously appalled by his current state. Dirt on his face, bruises on his neck, a cut on his chin, uniform all dirty and worn out, Subaru wondered where Natsume had gone to. "Disgusting…" Subaru said. "Mind fixing yourself up before talking to me?" He adjusted his glasses and turned away. 

A vein popped out of Natsume's head. The doctor sounded just like his little sister, much to Natsume's dismay. Though tempted to burn him, Natsume kept his cool and asked him again. "How is she? Tell me now…" It sounded more like a threat, and Subaru didn't like his tone of voice. 

Subaru was normally cold to others, except for a certain few like Mikan. He doesn't even hesitate to insult his younger sister. He wasn't good at showing emotions. He can be a good gentleman, but he was usually harsh and scary. Because of what happened to Mikan, he wasn't in a good mood to answer questions properly. "Aren't you supposed to be her bodyguard?" 

Natsume narrowed his crimson eyes at him. "What about it?" 

"Then you've done a great job protecting her," Subaru said, being very sarcastic about it. "I've been informed that Mouri Reo secretly came into the Academy with two hoodlums and they've almost took her away." 

Natsume gave no comments about it. He was Mikan's bodyguard. He was her protector. But he failed to protect her from Reo or from getting shot. He should've been there for her. Kyo, Ryou, and Nobara told him everything that has happened. He was grateful for their help in saving Mikan from Reo, but he couldn't help being angry at Kyo and Ryou. First of all, they were the main reason why he was out there in the Eastern Woods fighting his way to complete the challenge. 

"She's unconscious as of this moment and the poison still lingers in her body. Rest assured, though, there will be an antidote ready for her tomorrow morning," Subaru told him. He turned around and took a few steps forward. "I'll have you know that the higher-ups were already informed of this. Be prepared for the worst." With that, he simply walked away, leaving the three boys to think about what happened. 

Subaru's lecture only made Natsume feel worse than he already was. It was like having Hotaru lecturing him at the same time, which was also bad. To make things more complicated for him, he had the two fan boys comforting him in a not-so-comforting way. 

"Man, that doctor was harsh," Ryou said, smirking at Natsume. "But don't mind him! It's not your fault why you weren't there for Mikan-sama." He held out a black rose this time and dangled it in front of Natsume's face, hoping it would lighten his mood. 

Kyo kept his safe distance from Natsume, thinking that Natsume will probably blame him and Ryou for everything. He also felt guilty for what happened. He had no idea that Natsume was Mikan's bodyguard. He kept staring at the floor, because he didn't want to have eye contact with the flame-caster. Even so, he felt the need to apologize to Natsume. And when he heard a bang and caught scent of something burning, he looked up to see that Natsume was already gone, and he saw Ryou lying on the floor, looking tremendously stupid with those swirling eyes, holding a burnt rose in his hand. Well, Kyo guessed that Natsume probably lost his temper on Ryou. 

* * *

His face was stoic as ever as he went to Mikan's room and sat down beside her bed. He touched her temple, giving her a tender look, and brushed some strands of hair away from her face. She looked remarkably peaceful and she seemed to be dreaming of something good, as he noticed the faint smile on her face. Although she was a bit pale, she still looked radiant in his eyes. He traced her lips, almost tempted to kiss her. He still wanted to, in fact, but his guilt was bothering him. Some bodyguard he turned out to be, he grimaced at the thought. He feared that he might be replaced by another one. Just imagining someone other than him guarding Mikan all the time was hell for him. He could never let any guy touch her, no matter how friendly and good he is to Mikan. He was possessive, sure, but he was her boyfriend. 

"Natsume…" she muttered in her sleep. 

The raven-haired lad held her hand and placed it against his cheek. "I'm here, Mikan," he said. He went to a lot of trouble for her in the past. She was targeted by the AAO, and there were times they got attacked when they went to visit her grandfather. At that time, the AAO members weren't much of a challenge. But he was there to protect her from them. With the return of that man in the photo, he had to be ready for any surprises. He knew he shouldn't have accepted that challenge from the two fan boys. However, it was his obsession with Mikan that made him take it—the same obsession he has whenever he protects her. 

And as he dozed off in his chair after midnight, Nobara slipped quietly into the room and motioned over to Mikan's side. She had been thinking a lot about Mikan, which was the reason why she couldn't sleep. She secretly smiled as she saw Natsume's hand intertwined Mikan's hand. It was so sweet of him. Natsume was always cold to other people, especially to the students of the Dangerous Ability Class. Well, Natsume was exceptionally kind to Hijiri Youchi since the young boy reminded him of himself. She could only see Natsume's true smile whenever he was with Mikan. Truly he loved the girl so much. Nobara thought of them as the perfect couple. 

She took a blanket from the cupboard and spread it. "He could catch a cold," she said, looking at Natsume. She walked over to the flame-caster and carefully placed the blanket over him. She smiled easily as she wrapped the blanket around him. But Nobara gasped when Natsume suddenly jarred his eyes open and grabbed her wrist. "Natsume-kun, I'm so sorry for waking you up." She closed her eyes in defense. Knowing Natsume, she expected some kind of retort from him. She had clearly forgotten that Natsume was trained to have sharp senses. He wasn't called the Black Cat for nothing. 

"Go back to where you came from," Natsume said icily. He'd been aware of Nobara's presence at the moment she stepped into the room. He decided to scare her by pretending to be dead asleep. But the Ice Princess had to be so kind enough to wrap him in a blanket. He was rather grateful for it, but he wasn't the type to say thanks. He stared coldly at the girl before he turned back to his brunette. "I'll stay with her." He said that to give Nobara a sense of assurance. He guessed that the Ice Princess paid Mikan a midnight visit because she was worried. Natsume knew how close Nobara was to Mikan. 

"Umm…Okay…" Nobara replied and headed towards the door. She turned her head at Natsume and gave him a faint smile. "By the way, Ruka-kun's wounds are all healed." By the time she and the boys reached the hospital, two nurses were flabbergasted as they saw the wounds on Ruka's back. The blonde boy got them during the challenge, but he didn't mind the pain. He was more concerned about Mikan at that time. When the nurses took him to the emergency room to get treated, Kyo politely asked her to go watch Ruka. Nobara could still remember the Kyo's expression when he asked her. His face had guilt written all over it. 

"And who asked you?" Natsume said in the same cold tone. Truth to be known, he was worrying about Ruka as well. But after hearing Nobara say that Ruka was fine, his heart felt a little lighter. 

"I just wanted to tell you…" Nobara said with a sigh. Natsume was still Natsume, she thought as she opened the door. "Good night, Natsume-kun." And with that, she left the room and slowly closed the door behind her. 

And so, he was alone with his Mikan again. The sleeping beauty lying on the bed, as the moonlight illuminated her pale skin and her silky hair, was breath-taking. Fan boys would die just to be in his shoes. The girl had so many qualities to be liked, though she was clumsy and innocent by nature. Natsume liked her for who she is; the girl who can make other people smile. Just thinking about the poison in her made him wish that he was poisoned instead. If it was possible, he would suck the poison inside her and take the pain. 

Looking at her lips again, Natsume slowly rose from his seat. Temptation got the best of him again. As he leaned closer and closer to her, he remembered her smile, her laughter, and her voice. He paused for a while when he was six inches near her face. He took time to caress her cheeks before brushing his lips against hers. 

During the kiss, the young brunette slowly opened her eyes. _Natsume? _She made a slight movement, which caught his attention right away. The flame-caster pulled away to look at her. "It is you," she said. "What do you think you're doing, pervert? Molesting me during my sleep?" 

Overjoyed to see her awake and talking normally, he poked her forehead and pinched her cheek hard. "Dummy," he said in a bored tone. "Can't you remember what happened to you?" He pinched her cheek a little harder, and she let out a scream. 

She slapped his hand away and sat up. "Natsume, you moron!" She began rubbing her sore cheek. "That hurt!" That was so like her boyfriend to torment her. Oh, well, she still loved him anyway. _Wait… What happened to me…? What is Natsume saying?_ She thought about it for a moment. Then it hit her like a rock. She got into a mess with the AAO and got shot. She immediately checked her right shoulder for wounds. There was no wound and there was an IV stuck to her right hand. 

"Your lame best friend's brother healed you," Natsume said before she could ask anything. "And don't ask how you got here." He really didn't want to tell her that Ryou took her to the hospital and it was Kyo who informed him about her condition. He'll leave the explaining to those two fan boys of hers. 

"Is that so?" Mikan leaned her temple against Natsume's shoulder and intertwined her left hand with his hand. "I must've made you worried," she said in a soft tone as she closed her eyes. 

"Idiot, don't make other people worry about you so much." He ran his fingers through her hair and inhaled her sweet scent. 

"Sorry…" Mikan looked up at him, smiling and reached for his cheek. Her purity was shining through her amber orbs as she gazed at his crimson ones. It was strange. No matter how cold and indifferent Natsume may look, Mikan could always feel his warmth and gentleness that he rarely showed. "You know, I'm really lucky to have you, Natsume…" Mikan's words were a gentle whisper caressed by a smile. He touched his forehead with an infinitely light hand and poked it with her finger. She let out a giggle and pinched his cheek. 

And then Natsume narrowed his eyes. With a shrug, he pushed Mikan back on the bed and pinched her nose. Mikan sounded really funny when she was telling Natsume to let her nose go. "I'm unlucky enough to have a girlfriend like you." He said that with a straight face. To be honest, he was happy when Mikan said that she was lucky to have him. 

"How mean!" Mikan pouted as she hit his arm. "You're such an insensitive jerk!" She puffed up her cheeks and turned her head away. 

A smirk for a smile, he cupped her chin and forced her to look at him. "And I was lying, polka-dots," he whispered. 

She smiled again and pinched his cheek, but before she could speak, Natsume kissed her lips. Mikan felt breathless, as though like she had to fight for air. Natsume was kissing her passionately and his tongue was working its magic inside her mouth. His kiss was irresistible, so she closed her eyes and enjoyed every moment of it. 

* * *

The next morning, the whole school have found out about the AAO's incursion and Mikan's predicament. The fan boys talked about nothing but their precious princess who got shot and poisoned. Even before recess ended, the news had spread through the hallways. The teachers and faculty staff were concerned about this matter. Reo and his minions had managed to get into the school without being detected. It was a good thing they failed in apprehending Sakura Mikan. The three principals of the school discussed this matter with the Headmaster and they thought of the possibility of a traitor within the academy. This was no laughing matter, since the Nullifier was the AAO's target. 

"Yup, Mikan-sama is safe and sound," Ryou said to the small group of fan boys around him. "And it's all thanks to me!" 

Kyo shook his head vigorously. His best friend was taking credit all for himself. That wasn't fair. It was because of Kyo's brilliant mind that they were able to save Mikan from Reo. "Are you stupid?" he told Ryou. "I was there, you know." 

Ryou looked straight at Kyo and he let out a nervous smile as he saw his glaring eyes. "Um…Hehe…Of course, Kyo was the brains behind it all. He did a great job." When he said that, Kyo just rolled his eyes away. Ryou didn't know why, but he could sense that something was bothering his best friend. He was going to ask when one of the fan boys asked him about their daring rescue again. Ryou was proud to tell them the whole story. 

Pulling out Mikan's picture from his wallet, Kyo gazed at it and admired how cute Mikan looked in a peach ball gown. He placed his hands over his eyes and lowered his head, while thinking about her. He wanted to see her, to visit her in the hospital. But he knew that her boyfriend was there watching over her. He went out of the classroom and walked through the hallways. He mentally cursed Natsume for being so lucky. He swore to take Mikan away from Natsume, but why was he having second thoughts about it. He really loved Mikan with his whole heart. Maybe it was just guilt confusing his mind. 

He paced over the main entrance of the middle school building, his movements quick and jerky, lacking his usual easy grace. He stared out at the sky for a moment, his shoulders hunched. "Mikan-sama…" he muttered her name. 

"Kawashima-kun," a gentle feminine voice called out to him. 

Kyo thought it was another one of his admirers. He was pretty popular with the girls too, though he was loyal to Mikan. Kyo spoke without turning. "What do you want?" 

"Thank you for saving Mikan-chan," the girl said. 

Hearing that, Kyo turned his around to face the girl. She was very familiar to him. The girl had long midnight-blue hair and dark-blue eyes. She was really cute as she smiled kindly at Kyo. And when Kyo noticed that she was holding two vials containing medicine inside, he suddenly remembered who she was. The girl was none other than Ogasawara Nonoko, one of Mikan's adorable friends. She was a science girl with the Alice of Chemistry. "Ogasawara-san, you don't have to thank me," he humbly said. 

"But I'm really grateful to you," Nonoko said. "By the way, I'm heading towards the hospital to see Mikan-chan; would you like to come with me?" 

Kyo wasn't so sure if Natsume would welcome him, but he really would like to see Mikan. "Sure," he said, his mouth twisted in a half smile. They began walking through the path. "What are those medicines for?" he curiously asked, pointing a finger at the vials. 

"This? Well…" Nonoko held out the vials and showed it to Kyo. The vial on the left was labeled 'antidote' and the one on the right was labeled 'fever'. "I was asked by Hotaru-chan's brother to make an antidote to cure Mikan-chan's poison." Subaru more like demanded an antidote from her with his usual cold tone. He sent a sample of the poison to her room with the medical reports about Mikan. Nonoko was no longer a Single Star student but a Triple Star student, and she had improved a lot with her Alice. She became an enterprising student sought after by many entrepreneurs. Her potions and medicines are more effective than before. Well, Nonoko had studied hard about chemistry. These were the reasons why she was asked by the cold-hearted doctor. 

"Hmm…I see…" Kyo cupped his chin and shifted his eyes from the vials to her eyes. "I don't suppose you charge for your services like that freaky Imai?" From what he had learned, Hotaru, also an enterprising student, was into the money-making business and had the knack for blackmailing. 

"Please don't call Hotaru-chan freaky," Nonoko said. She considered the genius inventor as a very good friend. But Nonoko sometimes thought of her as an odd girl. "And I don't charge for my services when it comes to my friends. I'm more than happy enough to do something for Mikan-chan. I just hope my medicines will work well." 

"I heard some pretty neat things about you, Ogasawara-san." Because of his interest in Mikan, he took the liberty of researching all the facts about Mikan, including information on her friends. He had seen Nonoko's records and he had to say that he was impressed. He had also heard that Nonoko was part of the "Three Geeky Sisters" of the Technical Class from a reliable source. 

Nonoko felt flattered that she couldn't help blushing. She eased up by letting out a nervous laugh and averted her eyes away from Kyo. "Thanks…" she muttered shyly. 

The two of them were silent for the rest of the walk and as they reached the hospital, Nonoko handed the two medicines to Subaru and proceeded to Mikan's room. Kyo decided to linger outside and wait. He didn't want to face a certain raven-haired lad at the moment. But he wasn't so lucky because Natsume stepped outside to leave the girls to chat. 

"You…" Natsume locked his gaze on Kyo. 

Kyo pretended to be calm as he ran his hand through his platinum-blue hair. "I bet you stayed with Mikan-sama the whole night," he said. "So, is she okay now?" 

Natsume folded his arms and leaned against the wall. "She's a little weak because of the poison, but she'll be fine," he answered with a shrug. 

"She'll be 100 all right if she takes the antidote Ogasawara-san brought." Kyo spun on his heels and placed a hand on his temple. "Hey, I'm sorry for the trouble…" He emotionally slapped himself for saying sorry to the guy he detested, but he just felt like saying that to ease his troubled mind. 

The guy was trouble for him, Natsume admitted it. Still, Kyo did save his girlfriend and he was grateful for that. Under any circumstances, Natsume will never say 'thank you' to a guy like Kyo. He had his manly pride to thank for that. However, Kyo did gain some respect from him, but he would never say that out loud. He didn't bother replying to him after he apologized and decided to watch him carefully in silence. 

Kyo could sense Natsume's piercing gaze, as if it was dagger piercing through his back. "Hyuuga, I'm still not giving up on Mikan-sama…" he said firmly as he peered over his shoulders to look at Natsume. "I just can't stop loving her, you know." He spoke like a true fan, with cheery eyes. He performed an informal salute and walked off, leaving the raven-haired lad irritated and dumbfounded. 

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: This chapter focused a lot on Kyo. I just had to add Nonoko and Subaru there. There will a Natsume and Mikan moment in the next chapter. It'll be a treat for all you NatsumexMikan fans. Alice Academy has great medical facilities, so don't get so shocked if Mikan gets well right away in the next chapter, okay? And the reason for the other medicine, which is labeled 'fever', will be revealed later on. Well, that's all for this one. Please drop some reviews. No flaming. 


	10. Beauty’s Punishment

JC: Everyone's excited for this chapter. There will be a Natsume and Mikan moment here. I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope the mood is all right here. Mikan's going to be fine, but she'll need to rest before she could start practicing again for the Alice Festival. We'll have Natsume to do the nursing job for Mikan. 

Reviewers: 

deynaz,o0huggies0o,Annaoj, Youichiix33, dominiqueanne,Cute Angel's Own, BaltoGirl,pukite, SeraphMia, natsume-meg93, Charmane, Irumi Kanzaki,Cutenatsumexmikan,funny sakura,pApAw, sHirO-kOi, Natsumedestiny,sarahpatrick,PurpleHime,midnitestarz,Yumiko-chan520,Sakiru Yume,KawaiiLinaKisses,xAngel of deathx, ruin princess,Kimiko-Sakura,ashitahime,sakura-himeno, abreya, Cormet,Cupid's Diary,helltishL0Ve,AnimeLoverXP,090mikanXnatsume090,Mikan Angel, mei, ai-chi, AnnaxBanana,novachipsalice,Yamashita Michiyo, elena potato,niceladysakura,storywriter07,Lady-Von-Bielefeld,IAmTheBattleMaiden,kamiam714, ikazuchi-hime,claireponcherrii, lizeej, melissa1995,kisami93, Optatus Crepusculum, Hamano-chan, etc…

JC: There are so many reviewers. Thank you for the support. I'm so happy and you guys are one of my inspirations. I'm sorry if I can't list down all the names here. Sorry…

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice. The characters, Kawashima Kyo and Hibiki Ryou, officially belong to me.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 10: Beauty's Punishment 

Going into the middle school division principal's office, Natsume was taken aback to see Kawashima Kyo and Hibiki Ryou, the two representatives of the Mikan Fan Club, standing before the desk of the enigmatic Hii-sama. At the corner of his eyes, he saw the cold-hearted doctor, Imai Subaru, standing in the shadows and beside him was the Dangerous Ability Class moderator, Persona. Subaru's and Persona's presence were enough to rile him, but he didn't show any emotions as he walked towards the desk. He faced the principal with his usual stoic face, not bothering to greet her politely. He managed to catch Ryou murmuring 'jerk' to him. He would like to burn him, but he must behave in front of the principal. 

The principal was fanning herself in an elegant way, as her assistant, Yamanouchi Shizune, was fixing some report papers on her desk. Once Shizune was done, the principal placed her fan down and slowly stood up. "How could you let this happen to Mikan no Kimi?" she said in a calm voice. "You are her bodyguard, are you not? You swore to keep her safe and yet…" Her eyes grew sharper and narrower. She sat back and shot Subaru an eerie look. 

"Principal, I do agree of punishing him, but must I be the one doing it?" Subaru said, adjusting his glasses. Although he knew that Persona would give Natsume more of a torture than a mere punishment. 

Kyo winced a bit at the sound of 'punishing', as Natsume clenched one fist. Ryou, on the other hand, grinned maliciously. Ryou still sees Natsume as nothing more than a pest—a hindrance to Mikan. He thought that Kyo was thinking of the same thing, and when he looked at his best friend, he only saw sadness in his face. 

"Imai Subaru, I'll only say this once…" Hii-sama said with a voice so smooth and feminine. "Please punish Hyuuga Natsume for his negligence to protect Sakura Mikan." Her eyes turned so cold when she faced Natsume.

Ryou wondered what kind of punishment Subaru will give him. He was very excited to see Natsume suffer like hell. However, Kyo had a good feeling of what Subaru will probably do to Natsume. Based on his research on the people who cared for Mikan, he knew the full capabilities of Subaru's Alice. It may sound nice, but his Alice can be extremely dangerous. Kyo almost shuddered at the mere thought. 

"Yes, principal," Subaru replied, looking colder than before. He walked towards Natsume and put his hand on his right shoulder. His stunning amethyst eyes lanced ardently into Natsume's crimson ones. "This is the pain she felt from the bullet wound." He clenched his shoulder, as he used his Alice on him, and he maintained perfect composure when he saw Natsume's eyes growing wide. He inputted a very powerful pain into Natsume, causing him to drop down on his knees. 

Ah, shit, the pain was awful. Natsume held his shoulder as if there was a wound there and closed his eyes in pain. The pain he was feeling—the pain that his girlfriend had to endure—was something he could bear, and this made him realize that, no matter what happens, he mustn't let anything happen to Mikan again. He didn't want Mikan to get hurt or experience any pain as severe as this. 

Ryou's lips curved into a wide smirk. "Serves him right," he muttered under his breath. "Isn't that right, Kyo?" 

"I don't care…" Kyo said, lowering his head. Somehow the punishment shocked him. The Academy can actually do horrible things to students. Kyo never knew the dark side of the Academy, since he had only been there for a few months. He, along with Ryou, transferred to Alice Academy during the first month of spring of the year. 

Natsume felt like he was bleeding, but he can't afford to break down in front of everyone in that office. This was the same pain Mikan felt, so no matter what, he had to stay strong. Still clutching onto his shoulder, he got back to his feet and looked seriously at the principal. There was nothing but pure odium in his crimson eyes, but the principal was not intimidated by this. 

"It seems like you're not fit to be Mikan no Kimi's bodyguard anymore," Hii-sama said, picking up her fan from the desk. "I have to replace you…" 

And because of what she said, Natsume, though maintaining a poker-face, raised his voice at the woman. "Don't screw with me!" He walked up to the desk and punched it hard. "I won't allow you to replace me." The mere idea of letting someone else protect his one and only girlfriend was unacceptable. It would curse him for the rest of his life. 

"I was thinking of replacing you with these two gentlemen here," Hii-sama pointed at Kyo and Ryou with the use of her fan. "These two were the heroes who saved the fair maiden." Of course, she had heard the whole story from the Ice Princess, Ibaragi Nobara.

If it was possible, Natsume would've burned the principal and the whole room by now. Kyo and Ryou as Mikan's bodyguard? No doubt they will accept the job right away, since those two were head-over-heels for Mikan. They would totally take advantage and get closer to Mikan. His jealousy and protectiveness were acting up again as he shot death glares at the two fan boys. 

"Imagine us as Mikan-sama's bodyguards!" Ryou uttered excitedly. "This is like a dream come true." 

Kyo had just about enough of Ryou's insensitive words and smacked his head hard. He then turned to the principal and bowed his head. "I'm sorry... As much as I want to, we can't be Mikan-sama's bodyguard." 

"Eh?!" Ryou gasped, rubbing his poor sore head. "What the hell are you saying, Kyo? This is our chance!" He tried to reason with him, but he ended up getting another smack on the head. Honestly, Kyo's strength was always questionable. 

"Kawashima-kun, right?" Hii-sama started fanning herself. "I've heard so many things about you. You're one of the top students in middle school and you have mastery over your Reinforcement Alice. Not only are you a skilled Alice user, you are also a capable fighter and athlete. I don't particularly like men, but I must say that you're one of a kind. I know about your love and admiration for Mikan no Kimi, and I trust that you will not harm her. So, tell me, why won't you accept the job? Like what your friend said, this is your chance." 

Kyo swiftly glanced at Natsume before answering the principal. "I appreciate the compliments…" He let out a deep sigh. As Ryou tried to speak out, Kyo immediately covered his mouth with his hand and smacked his head again. He hit Ryou ten times stronger, making him very dizzy that he fell to the floor. Well, Kyo could always drag him out later, but he had to explain things to the principal to make his intentions clear. "Principal, Mikan-sama will surely not want this. We all know her relationship with Hyuuga and there is no doubt that she would disagree if you replace him." 

"Oh, I can arrange that…" Hii-sama told him. 

"No, please don't…" Kyo bowed, looking desperately this time. "Let Hyuuga be Mikan-sama's bodyguard." Ryou was about to speak again, to reason with him, but Kyo immediately sent him flying towards the wall. He didn't mind if Ryou get hurts. Ryou was pretty used to his punches anyway. 

Hii-sama grimaced at the sight. "Boys…They're so unruly." She closed her fan and sighed. "Very well… Hyuuga gets to keep his job." 

"Thank you, principal," Kyo said, smiling handsomely. 

The pain in his right shoulder was still there, but he felt glad hearing that he could still be Mikan's bodyguard. Although he wondered why Kyo refused the job, which was a perfect opportunity for him to be with Mikan everyday, he respected his decision. 

"Guren no Kimi," Hii-sama said, looking at Natsume, "I expect you do a better job next time, understand?" There was nothing but seriousness in her voice as her eyes were as cold as ice. "Now, you three are dismissed." 

Enough said, Natsume headed towards the door first, still clutching onto his shoulder. Kyo, on the other hand, had to go over to his best friend, who was currently unconscious, and dragged him outside. Once all three of them were out, Kyo asked Natsume if he was going to visit Mikan in the hospital. Instead of giving a straight answer, the raven-haired flame caster only cast him one serious look. 

"Hey, don't give me that look," Kyo said, laughing nervously. "It's pretty scary…" He scratched the back of his head. 

Natsume leaned against the wall for support. It was amazing that he was able to keep up a stoic face, despite the pain. "Why didn't you accept?" he asked in a cold tone. 

"Hmm…" Kyo tapped his finger on his cheek. "Well… I'm not too sure myself…" 

Natsume stared at him for a while, and then he walked off. Kyo asked him again if he was going to see Mikan, and much to his annoyance, Natsume answered him with a simple nod and started walking again. Kyo smiled and decided to go with him, of course not forgetting to drag his still unconscious best friend. 

* * *

"Are you positively sure that you're okay?" Shouda Sumire sounded strict and uncaring as she looked at the brunette sitting up on the hospital bed. She, some of her classmates, and Narumi-sensei paid Mikan a visit to see how she was doing, and they've became so relieved when they saw Mikan's radiant smile. However, Sumire was trying to make sure that Mikan wasn't lying. She was fully aware that the brunette doesn't want other people to worry. "No more poison, right? No injuries and—"

Mikan giggled sweetly at the cat-dog girl. "I'm fine, permy," she said. "But thanks for worrying about me." 

"You're worrying to much, Sumire-chan," Narumi-sensei said, smiling attractively at his green-haired student. 

"Curly permy is actually a nice person?" The ever-cheerful mind reader, Kokoroyomi, patted Sumire's back several times. "Who would have guessed?" He lightly laughed, as the green-haired girl shot him one mean glare. He wasn't the least bit afraid of her. In fact, he thought of her angry face as the most amusing thing at the moment. He had the knack of teasing Sumire till she snaps like crazy. Considering Sumire's temper, he was bound to get hit one way or another. 

"You shut up, idiot!" Sumire hit Kokoroyomi's head hard with her clenched fist and turned her head away. "The nerve…" She folded her arms with a shrug. 

"Oh, I feel sorry for Kokoroyomi-kun," Narumi said with a little laughter. 

Rubbing his poor head, Kokoroyomi let out a silly little laugh while maintaining his cheerful façade. Mikan and the rest also laughed along with him making Sumire feel very uncomfortable. Seeing the slight blush on her face, Kokoroyomi took the liberty of reading her mind without permission. Plus, it wasn't really a crime to use your Alice, so he read her mind and smiled at her thoughts. He would normally spill the beans whenever he gets his hands on juicy information, but her thoughts at the moment were kind of private and it would be wrong to announce it. 

"Anyway…" Sumire turned her head back at Mikan, still maintaining a strict face. "Sakura-san, remember that you're the leading lady in the play. Make sure you get better right away, understand?" She had practiced her villain role really hard and she was excited to perform in the Alice Festival. Though she won't admit it, she can't act enthusiastically without her rival-friend around. Plus, she had to show Mikan how good she was in acting. 

Mikan nodded her head. "I'll be discharged first thing tomorrow morning," she said, smiling brightly. "Then I'll be able to practice in the afternoon." 

"You're going to practice right away?" Ruka said, placing his little rabbit friend on the bed, as he looked at Mikan with concern. "Maybe you should rest up a bit." He would surely not want Mikan to get exhausted. Knowing Mikan, she will probably force herself in order to let others see that she was fine. Ruka knew that she doesn't want others to worry about her, but he thought about her health as well. 

"Ruka-kun's right, Mikan-chan…" Narumi added. Honestly, when he heard about how Reo almost got away with Mikan, he almost freaked out. A certain senior of his will kill him if anything happens to Mikan. He did make a promise to her to protect the brunette. It was a good thing Mikan was saved by Kyo and Ryou, with the help of Nobara. He'll make sure to thank those three later.

Mikan plainly shook her head and smiled at her teacher. "Don't worry… I'll be fine…" She then looked at Ruka and threw him a first class smile. She failed to realize that her smile had once again dazzled the young blonde lad making him blush madly. While the others noticed Ruka's awkward expression, Mikan remained completely oblivious and took hold of his hand. "Ruka-pyon, you were supposed to escort me today to have me fitted for my costume. That will have to wait, unfortunately." 

"I'll escort you tomorrow," Ruka suggested, trying not to act too nervous. "Is that okay?" His face was still as red as a tomato as he stared at their entwined hands. It was good thing Natsume wasn't around or else he would've been thrown in a state of panic. His best friend always had jealousy issues and he was fiercely protective of Mikan. 

"Yes!" 

Mikan, the class representative, Tobita Yuu, and the two girls from the Technical Class, Nonoko and Anna, chatted for a while, and Narumi and Ruka sat quietly watching the brunette. Sumire and Kokoroyomi didn't join in, since the mind reader was teasing the cat-dog girl again. It was as though they had their own world. And as Mikan turned at the sound of the door creaking open, she saw Tsubasa sticking his head out. Mikan smiled at him, happy to see him, and when his girlfriend Misaki pushed him, he tumbled down to the floor. The younger students, of course, laughed at him, and Misaki just stood there beside him. 

"What's the big idea?" Tsubasa said, standing up, as he fixed his cap on his head. "You didn't have to push me, Misaki!" He shot the red-haired girl a death glare, but Misaki punched his face and sent him flying towards the wall. She was not in the good mood for sure, and the younger students were intimidated by her. However, when she went up to Mikan, she showed a very pretty smile and held Mikan's hand. 

"Misaki-senpai…" Mikan said, sweat dropping, and took a quick glance at Tsubasa who was already recovering from the hit. She merely chuckled as she looked back at Misaki. "You're really tough, senpai." 

"I get that a lot," Misaki said with a shrug. "So, how are you? I'm glad that Reo didn't get you." Truth to be known, when she heard about what happened to Mikan, she immediately wanted to see her favorite little junior. Tsubasa also felt the same way. 

Kokoroyomi read Misaki's mind and found out why she was in a bad mood. "An accidental kiss…" he blurted out. "Before you came here, you had to finish your work in the Special Ability Class. You were such in a rush. After your work was done, you ran out of the room and bumped into Kage-senpai who also happened to be on his way to the hospital. You bumped into him, knocked him over, and accidentally kissed him on the lips. How sweet…" 

"It wasn't sweet!" she yelled. Misaki's face flushed up in an instant. Sure, he had kissed Tsubasa a few times before, but those kisses weren't accidental. The accidental kiss earned her a cut on the lip. She had no right to be angry, but she was still irritated. It was unfortunate she took her anger out on her boyfriend. "Tsubasa and I… well…" Actually, the accidental kiss wasn't the only thing that happened. Misaki and Tsubasa were really surprised when their lips met and they immediately parted. While Tsubasa was trying to help her up, his hand touched her chest by mistake, which earned him a smack on his face. And when Kokoroyomi was about to spill the chest-part, she covered his mouth and threatened him with deadly eyes. 

Sumire narrowed his eyes at the mind-reading boy and heaved a sigh. "You never learn to shut up, do you?" she said, seeing that Kokoroyomi was still trying to speak even with Misaki's hand on his mouth. He was only able to make muffling sounds. "You're such an idiot…" She then pulled Kokoroyomi's ear, hauling him away from the high school student, and dragged him outside the room where she hit him again on the head. Instead of whining about the pain, the lad merely chuckled. Sumire sighed once again and shook her head in dismay. How did she end up with a cheerful and mischievous partner like Kokoroyomi? 

"Mikan, is your shoulder all right?" Tsubasa asked, sitting down on the bed and taking Mikan's hand. Tsubasa was Mikan's favorite senior and he was always like a big brother to Mikan. He may be a little laid back sometimes, but he was a caring person towards his friends. 

Mikan smiled at him. "My shoulder's all better now and it's all thanks to Hotaru's brother," she said cheerfully, as Tsubasa squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry if I can't help out the class today, Tsubasa-senpai." 

He shook his head. "Nah, it's okay. Your health is more important." Then, releasing her hand, he stood up and glanced at Misaki. "Our little kouhai here has always been working hard for the Special Ability Class. A little break will do her good, right?" He expected a nod of her head or a simple 'yes' for an answer, but Misaki shot him a glare. It was apparent that she was still annoyed at their little accident. 

Misaki shifted her eyes from Tsubasa to Mikan. "You rest up and leave the work to us. The class can handle it." Placing a hand on Tsubasa's shoulder, she gave off a strange and dangerous aura, making the shadow manipulator swallow hard. "We've got to go now, chibi. We'll come and visit again later." 

"Ok," Mikan replied, waving a hand at them. "Thanks for coming, Tsubasa-senpai, Misaki-senpai…" 

"We're also going, too, Mikan-chan," Yuu spoke up as he went closer to Mikan. "Please take care of yourself." His bright and solemn eyes were crystal clear through his glasses and his smile was soft as he looked at the brunette. Tobita Yuu had been the class representative of their class since elementary. A Triple Star Student, he was one of the top students in class and he possessed the Alice of Illusion. 

"Yes, I will!" 

"Mikan-chan, I'll bake you cookies once you're discharged," the pink-haired Anna said, smiling like a little angel, as she held Nonoko's shoulders. 

"Really? That's great! I really love your cookies, Anna-chan!" Mikan was fond of treats and snacks, but she always managed to stay slim and slender. 

Nonoko gave a smile as well. "I'm glad my medicine is working well for you, Mikan-chan," she said, clasping her hands together. 

"And I'm grateful for the medicine, Nonoko-chan," Mikan said, remembering the shot she got from the doctor. When she was given the antidote, her breathing became normal and her complexion returned to its original state. 

When the all of the visitors, with the exception of Ruka and his rabbit, left the hospital room, Mikan lay back down on the bed and covered herself with the blanket up to her nose. She giggled sweetly, thinking how wonderful and thoughtful her friends were. She felt a twinge of guilt for making them worry, but at least she was able to smile at them to show that she was fine. As she recalled what happened last night—when Reo knocked her out—she suddenly shivered in fear. The AAO had numerously tried to apprehend her for a long time. They've also hunted her down when she went to visit her grandfather. It was fortunate that Natsume was always there to protect her from them. She almost didn't want to leave her grandfather alone, knowing that the AAO could use him, but the Academy sent someone to protect her grandfather in secret. The problems with the AAO still lingered until now and she wondered when they would stop coming for her. 

"Sakura," Ruka spoke, his face flushing red. "D-do you want me to t-take care of you while you're h-here?" He didn't even make eye contact to her when he said that. He suddenly got shy. 

Mikan smiled gratefully. It was nice of Ruka to offer his aid, but she remembered about the acting, the practice, and the rest of the Somatic Class. Ruka was, after all, one of the stars of the play. The practice was a must for him, and Mikan would feel bad if he would miss it. "Thank you, Ruka-pyon… But…You should practice for the play. The Alice Festival is drawing near, you know." 

"I can manage the play," Ruka replied, turning his head at Mikan. He could feel his face heating up just by gazing at her amber orbs. "I don't know if I could practice without you…knowing that you're here…" 

"Don't worry about me, Ruka-pyon!" She sat up on the bed and raised her arm up high. "As you can see, I'm A-OK!!" 

Ruka lightly laughed. "I can see that." Leave it to Mikan to always bring a smile on his face. She never failed to enlighten him. 

From outside the room, they could hear Kawashima Kyo's voice and Hibiki Ryou's, talking, or more like, threatening someone. Ryou's was talking loudly and he sounded pretty cocky when he said: "I can't believe you gave up such an opportunity, Kyo!" Mikan and Ruka wondered why was Ryou scolding his own best friend and what he meant by opportunity. Then Ryou continued his rant. "We're far better than this arrogant jerk here…" Obviously, Ryou and Kyo weren't the only ones there. There was another person. 

"Arrogant jerk?" Mikan was starting to have a feeling that she might know this arrogant jerk Ryou was talking about. She pulled the bed sheet and covered half her face, as she stared at the door. Things got a little quiet for a while, and then Ryou suddenly blurted an insult and walked away. After that, Mikan heard Kyo apologizing and ran off. Kyo's voice was low yet sincere. Mikan had always known him to be a very proud guy, smart nevertheless, and cunning. Ryou was different than Kyo, Mikan thought, recalling the time she first met them. 

The door creaked open and in went Natsume, looking positively composed. The sheer sight of him brightened Mikan up so much that she greeted him with open arms. "Hi! Natsume!" she said out loud, and Natsume just shrugged. "Where have you been? Did you know that some of our classmates came to visit?" She was giggling when Natsume sat down on her bed. 

"Nowhere…" Natsume replied nonchalantly. He then turned to Ruka, giving him a significant look, which Ruka immediately understood. 

"Since Natsume's here, I'll better be going now," Ruka said and walked towards the door. He could sense something different with Natsume and he guessed that he wanted to be alone with Mikan. Even though he stays quiet about his feelings, he unconsciously pours all his emotions on the people he cares. Whenever he was sad and lonely, he would isolate himself from the rest, but deep down his heart wanted someone to comfort him. Ruka was always there for him, because Natsume was his best friend. The certain sadness he felt within Natsume was comprehensible to him, but he was sure that he'll only need Mikan at the moment. "I'll see you later, Sakura." 

"Ok!" Mikan showed him a thumb up. "Do your best at practice, Ruka-pyon!" 

"I will," Ruka replied, and then he stepped out of the room and slowly closed the door behind him. 

"So, Natsume, are you planning to stay with me the whole day?" Mikan asked, clinging to his arm. "You'll get bored, you know. Did you bring any mangas with you?" She searched Natsume for any signs of manga, but he wasn't bringing one with him. That was strange. Natsume would always have manga with him. 

"Mikan…" As he said her name, he pulled her into a warm embrace and nestled his chin on her shoulder. He was still experiencing some pains in his right shoulder, but for some reason they seem to lessen when he caressed her. Mikan was his strength and his will. There was nothing else in the world that could compare the feelings he has for her. To be able to hold her so close was enough to lighten him up. 

"Natsume… Are you still worried about me?" Mikan said, her lips curving into an angelic smile. "It's okay now. I'm fine." She knew that Natsume doesn't like to be frank with his innermost feelings, but he usually showed his tenderness through his actions. Natsume was always a guy of few words anyway. 

"Worried?" he said with a shrug. He pulled away and stared at her with a stoic face. "Don't flatter yourself, polka-dots. By the way, your chest is really soft." His lips curved into an arrogant smirk as he touched one of her breast. 

In an instant, Mikan's face paled. "What the…You…I can't believe…" She tightened her fists and gritted her teeth. "You perverted moron! You never change!!" she shouted loudly as she started hitting Natsume with a pillow. 

He really liked teasing her, seeing her pout, but he didn't like her high-pitched voice. Oh, well, it was something he had to bear. And he wasn't kidding about her chest part. He mentally snickered like a little devil inside his mind, while he maintained a bored look on his face. He was still getting hit over and over again by Mikan. And when he was fed up with it, he grabbed the pillow, tossed it aside, and pinned Mikan on the bed. 

"You're going to harass me again, pervert?!" Mikan said with her face flushed red. 

"Something like that," Natsume replied coolly. He then leaned down and kissed her luscious lips. 

Mikan didn't do anything to push him away. She just let him do as he pleased, as she closed her eyes and savored his kiss. Her heart was racing fast and she was sure that her cheeks were as red as apples. Even so, it felt good to be able to share a moment with him. Natsume was the only guy to ever make her feel that way and he was the only guy that she'll ever love wholeheartedly. 

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: It has to stop right there. Kyo is really a nice guy once you get to know him better. Ryou, well, is a jerk, I know, but he has good points to. He's just very proud and arrogant, but it is apparent that he cares for Kyo and Mikan. I'll be introducing another OC in the next chapter. She'll be Kyo's older sister. Her Alice is pretty fun and she belongs to the Technical Class. You'll get to know her soon. I'm sorry for the ways things happen with Natsume. Hii-sama has some issues with guys and she can be very cruel. That's all for now. Please review. No flaming. 


	11. Admirers

JC: Konnichiwa, minna-san! Atashi wa Kazeno Chiaki! Well, this story has been a total success. With the reviews I've been receiving and the good grades I have in school, I'm certainly in high gear. I will introduce another OC in this chapter and she's the older sister of Kyo. Please read and review in the end. 

Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice and its characters. Hibiki Ryou and Kawashima Kyo are fictional characters owned by me.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 11: Admirers 

Narumi-sensei was helping Mikan get ready to be discharged from the hospital. He was the father-figure of Mikan, so he had the responsibility of watching over her like a father would. He helped her got up off the bed then, and he walked to the door of the room, and then stood there smiling at her. "It's wonderful to see you cheerful all the time. I've always liked that about you, Mikan-chan." 

Mikan was touched by what he said. "Thank you, sen—," she said softly, "I mean…Otou-san…" Yes, she had always called Narumi-sensei her father whenever it was just the two of them. She had experienced the love of a true father through Narumi, and Narumi felt like he was a true parent having Mikan as a daughter. 

"I'll go talk with the doctor for a while," he said, opening the door. "You just wait here until I get back, okay?" 

"Don't be long!" she brightly said, and Narumi giggled before he left the room. She sat there quietly, thinking of the Special Ability Class and Somatic Class, and a few minutes later Natsume strolled in. His hair was a mess as usual, he had not bothered combing it, and he looked at her with his usual cold eyes. 

The flame caster took a moment to gaze his eyes upon the nullifier. He was amazed by her attire, which was a pink tank-top, a white bolero jacket with 3/4 sleeves, and a loose yellow skirt with little pink frills around it. The Sakura Sensor was pinned on the jacket. Such attire made her look more innocent, adorable, and attractive all at once. And when Mikan approached him, he couldn't help staring at her naked thighs. His hormones were acting up again. 

"Natsume, are you free for the whole morning?" Mikan asked. 

"Yeah… Why?" he replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets. 

"Then let's go on a date in Central Town!" 

Natsume smirked at her suggestion. A date would be nice. It has been a while since they last went on a date. He recalled back their previous dates and he had to admit that it was always fun being with her, though he intended to look grumpy and uncaring all the time. The only bad part about having to date a beautiful girl like Mikan was the prying eyes of the boys around Central Town. His fan girls were not a problem to him, since he could easily threaten them to stay away by glaring at them. But the boys could be total nuisance to him, very persistent. 

"What do you say, Natsume? I would like to eat Fluff Puffs and cake!" She was acting like a little girl. But it was okay to act childish and happy. 

Natsume pretended not to look excited about the date and let out a sigh. "Fine then…" he muttered. "But if you say we'll go shopping, I'll burn you." Girls and shopping matched perfectly. But majority of the boys couldn't stand shopping with girls. 

"Silly, we're not going shopping! It's a date! D-A-T-E!" Mikan wrapped her arms around him and giggled sweetly. "Plus, you can't burn me, you know. I'll just nullify your Alice." 

"I can still hit you," Natsume said defensively, "and I can definitely do this." He gently pulled her away to face her, and once their eyes met Natsume kissed her on the lips. But he parted after a few seconds and touched her cheek. "So, you're totally cured." 

Her cheeks became red because of the kiss, but she quickly shook off her uneasy feeling. "Yeah…Thanks to Nonoko-chan's medicine." The antidote had worked wonders for her, and the pills for fever had given her so much easiness. Her friend really had the potential to become a great chemist someday. "Speaking of Nonoko-chan, she told me that she has a crush on somebody. She used to have a big crush on Misaki-sensei, and I didn't even realize it until she told me. But she likes somebody else now. She told me that she's going to tell me and Anna-chan soon. I may not understand puppy love much, but don't you think it's kinda cute?" It would be nice for Nonoko to have a boyfriend as well, Mikan thought happily. 

"Whatever…" was Natsume's reply. Talking about puppy love and crushes was making him itchy inside, and he wasn't the type to chat so freely with people. He was generally moody and a silent-type of character. His personality was the perfect match-up for Mikan's optimistic and cheerful personality.

Narumi waltzed right into the room, twirling several times, while holding a bouquet of roses in his hand. "Mikan-chan, somebody left this by the door for you!" he said in a chirpy voice, and then he saw Natsume. "Oh, good morning to you, Natsume-kun! You're here to pick up my dear Mikan-chan, right? That's so sweet of you. You're really a good boyfriend to her." 

"You're too noisy, stupid Naru," Natsume grimly said, turning his gaze away from the blonde teacher. 

"How could you talk to your teacher like that?" Narumi cried some crocodile tears just to annoy Natsume more and it worked. And when Natsume conjured a flame in his palm, he just shoved the bouquet to his face and smiled. "You don't want to burn me along with these roses, do you? After all, these are from you." It was true. Narumi happened to see Natsume walking towards Mikan's room with the bouquet in his hand when he was waiting for the doctor by the nurses' station. 

Mikan tilted her head in confusion. "You bought these roses?" she asked her boyfriend, and Natsume let out a sigh of frustration. "Well, did you?" She raised her eyebrow. 

The flame-caster hid his eyes under his bangs. Damn that Narumi, he grumpily thought. He was going to give the flowers later, but Narumi had to ruin it for him. "Yeah… And they're for you…" he muttered, lowering his head even more. It was hard to say, but he felt kind of awkward, not to mention extremely irritated at Narumi. 

"You may not look like it, but you're actually one sweet guy, Natsume-kun," Narumi teased, causing Natsume to get more serious and burn a part of his sleeve. "WAH! NO!" He released the bouquet and started putting out the fire. 

Natsume caught the roses just in time before it hit the floor. Gradually, he turned to face his girlfriend, completely locking his gaze at her stunning amber eyes. He handed the bouquet to her, without saying a word. He turned his head away as he saw Mikan's lips curving into a grateful smile. 

"Thanks, Natsume," she said and gave him a big hug. "Thanks so much." 

He hugged her back and smiled a little bit. It was always a pleasure for him to hold Mikan so close and to hear her thanking him. It was a good thing his back was facing Narumi or else the teacher could have seen his expression. He didn't like showing any emotions to other people, especially those people who irritated him. Although he has some level of respect for Narumi, he still can't get along with him due to his eccentric character. 

Narumi sighed as he finally put out the fire, and when he saw the two sharing a moment, he just silently smiled. _They're making me quite jealous… _He lightly laughed and folded his arms. _I wish I had to chance to be like that to Yuka-senpai. _Oh, his favorite senior and unrequited love, Azumi Yuka was someone he could never erase from his heart. Every time he sees Mikan, he thought about Yuka. 

* * *

It was a cool morning on that day. Mikan and Natsume were promenading in a street of Central Town near a park. It was a beautiful day, but there weren't many people at the park. Since it was still a school day, most of the students of Alice Academy were at school busy preparing for the Alice Festival. As the couple approached the park, they heard a band of humanoid robots—that were realistic enough to be mistaken as humans—playing JPOP music. Mikan was impressed by the superb performances of the robots. The robots reminded her of her best friend, who was still busy working for her client and earning lots of money. 

They went to a hotdog stand after the band stopped playing, bought two chilly dogs, and sat down on a bench for a rest. Mikan began to converse about Hotaru. To Natsume's utter dismay, she kept telling him how she misses Hotaru and how she wants to hug her. Natsume still disliked Hotaru for so many reasons, and it was good that she was gone for a while. Mikan only stopped talking to take a bite out of her chilly dog and continued. But she started talking about someone else. Frankly, it was about Kyo. 

"Kyo-kun saved me from Reo…" Mikan said in a soft voice as she lowered her food to her lap. "How should I thank him I wonder…" 

Natsume was mildly irritated when Mikan brought up Kyo's name, but he knew that she only treated Kyo as a good friend. "Just say thank you. Isn't that the usual way to thank someone?" he said that so bluntly and munched on the last piece of his food. 

Mikan swallowed her food and looked at Natsume. "Saying thank you is not enough, you know." She took another bite, chewed it well, and swallowed. She owed Kyo her life. If it wasn't for his brilliant thinking, she would've been taken away or dead. Sure, she also had Nobara and Ryou to thank, but Kyo played the biggest role for her. She felt the need to do something special for Kyo just to show her extreme gratitude. "Maybe I should buy him something… What do you think, Natsume?" 

"No…" Natsume answered as he threw the wrapper into the trash bin beside the bench. "Don't buy that idiot anything." 

"Hey, don't call him an idiot, Natsume!" Mikan uttered and threw the wrapper as well. "He's really smart and he's also a Triple Star like Hotaru." 

He always hated it whenever Mikan defended her guy friends from him. "So what? He's an idiot for me." 

"You're so mean." 

He swore that if Mikan kept on talking about Kyo or even Hotaru, he was going to blow. Getting bored and fairly annoyed, he stood up and pulled Mikan up by the wrist. "Let's go. You said you want Fluff Puffs, right?" he said in monotonous voice. 

From pouting to smiling, Mikan quickly clung to him. "Fluff Puffs!!" She really shouted near his hear, causing his whole brain to rattle. "Come on, let's go buy some! I love them so much!" She began pulling Natsume, while shouting out 'Fluff Puffs' over and over again. She was indeed like a little 10-year old who was in love with candy. Natsume didn't mind her childish antics, as he considered it adorable, but he has the tendency to get annoyed. 

Both found happiness in their little date. Natsume was glad that there were no fan boys around to disturb them or act like paparazzi around Mikan. He wasn't smiling much during their date, but it was apparent in his eyes that he enjoyed her company and her cheerfulness. More than a sweetheart, Mikan was his guide, his precious gem, and his happiness. She could make any boring day brighter for him, and spending time on a date with her was great. 

As everything on earth has to end, their little date inevitably came to an ending at the struck of 1 o'clock in the afternoon. Mikan had promised that she'll come to practice her role with the Somatic Class. She can't fall behind and her role was very crucial for the play. Before heading to the auditorium where the practice was held, Mikan and Natsume first went to her room. She needed to change into her school uniform. 

"This will only be a minute," Mikan said, grabbing her school uniform out of the closet. She removed her bolero jacket, revealing her slender arms, and threw it to the chair. "Don't you dare walk into the bathroom while I'm changing, Natsume." She said that with a warning tone and a warning finger. She was so familiar with Natsume's perverted ways. 

"You really don't trust me, do you?" Natsume said coldly as he approached her. 

Mikan shook her head. "It's not like that. I trust you a lot. It's just that I don't trust you whenever I'm changing." She gave him a cute smile, and Natsume simply rolled his eyes away. "Anyway, just wait here, okay?" She then spun on her heels and went into the bathroom. Of course, she remembered to lock it just in case Natsume will do something. 

Though it would nice to see her beautiful body, Natsume wouldn't dare to destroy Mikan's trust in him. He sat down on the sofa and leaned back to stare blankly at the ceiling. He didn't bring any manga with him, so he was daydreaming. As he recalled his date with Mikan earlier, a small grin formed on his face. Next time, he thought, he would bring her to an expensive restaurant. He had read about dating a girl in his mangas and they seemed to be very effective. His Mikan was like a walking 'Moe' character and her traits were very similar to most heroines of a manga—even shounen ones. Just as he was about to placed both feet on top of the coffee table, three knocks coming from the door interrupted his thoughts. If it was Mikan's fan boys, he would surely burn them, but it wouldn't hurt to check. He got off the sofa, walked towards the door and opened it. 

A cute girl, with shoulder-length dark hair and long bangs pulled behind and tied with a blue ribbon, revealing her forehead, stood by the doorway holding a pink envelope in her hand. She was wearing the Academy's middle school uniform. "Mikan-san, this is for you!" she said, offering the envelope obviously with a letter inside. She had her eyes closed the whole time when Natsume opened the door for her. 

"And who are you?" Natsume questioned in an icy tone, which startled the girl. Her eyes fluttered open as she gasped, revealing a pair of hazel orbs. 

"Oh, it's you, Hyuuga-san," she said in a soft voice and backed one step away. She didn't expect Natsume to answer the door. She was hoping for Mikan. "I'm Sugita Aya from next class and I just wanted to give this letter to Mikan-san." She was actually a fan of Mikan, and she had been worried sick about her after she heard what happened to Mikan. The letter she was holding was actually a friendly letter showing how much she cared and admired Mikan all this time. 

Natsume shrugged and extended his arm towards her. Aya blinked twice at his hand before she gazed at him with curiosity in her eyes. "I'll give it to her," he plainly said. His cold expression was giving Aya the chills. 

"Um…Sure…" Aya swallowed hard as she handed the letter to Natsume. She would like to give the letter to Mikan herself, but she thought that Natsume would get mad at her. She had heard some pretty strange and bad rumors about Natsume, and that caused her to be wary of him. "Thank you, Hyuuga-san. Please continue to take care of Mikan-san." Despite the rumors, Aya still believed that Natsume was a good boyfriend to her idol. And with that, she hurriedly walked away. 

Seriously, Natsume had never seen that girl before, although he knew that Mikan has tons of male and female fans. He stared at the letter for a little while and went back in. As he closed the door, Mikan came out wearing her middle school uniform, with her hair tied in a half ponytail and the Sakura Sensor pinned on the collar. "I heard someone knocking. Who was at the door, Natsume?" she said, and Natsume just gave her the letter. "What's this?" 

"It's from a girl in our next class…" Natsume replied nonchalantly. "Must be your fan…" 

"Let's see…" Mikan tore the envelope carefully and took out the letter. It was written neatly on a light orange stationary with flower designs on it. She began reading the letter quietly, and when she was done, she held the letter against her chest and sighed happily. "She's so sweet…" she muttered. The sender, Sugita Aya, had expressed her deepest concern and care for Mikan in the letter, and she was very touched by every word written there. She may not know who Aya is, but she was willing enough to be friends with her. But before that, she had a practice to attend to. 

"Are you done yet?" Natsume questioned, sounding strict and cold. 

Mikan didn't answer him. She was too busy reading the letter again. "Sugita Aya-chan…" She walked towards her study table and placed the letter on top. "Natsume, you met her a while ago, didn't you? Tell me what she looks like…" She turned to Natsume, enthusiasm present in her bright amber eyes. 

Natsume heaved a sigh. He was in no mood to talk about some girl to Mikan, so he simply said, "She looks like a girl. That's all you need to know." After saying that, a heavy book went flying and hit his head. However, he didn't flinch or yelled out OUCH! He remained completely still in the same spot and stared at Mikan. "What did you do that for, polka-dots?" 

"Can't you give me a proper answer?!" Mikan uttered, her Sakura Sensor turning a little red. 

"No…" He rubbed his poor head and briskly approached Mikan. "C'mon, let's go. I don't want to waste anymore time here doing nothing." Before she could protest, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her outside of her room, down to the stairs, and towards the auditorium. She was sure making a racket and his ears were the ones suffering. But he can withstand her ranting without changing his expression. 

As soon as Mikan opened the door, she was immediately greeted by her fan boys who were all worried sick for her. They had bouquet of flowers in their hands, some had boxes of chocolates, and some even had love letters. Mikan was quite happy to see them care for her so much and she apologized for making them worry. And when she smiled her trademark smile, the boys' eyes all turned into hearts as they howled like a pack of wolves. 

Natsume was standing outside the door, listening to the fan boys' noises, and he wished he could barge into the auditorium and burned them to ashes. But he had to restrain himself. He wasn't in good terms with the majority of the students, including the ones in the Somatic Class, and it would only be trouble if he tries anything rash. He peeked inside, careful not to let anyone see him, and clenched his fist at the sight of two boys holding hands with his girlfriend. He didn't know if he could control his jealousy for even 5 seconds. He was tempted to use his Alice. Just then, several ghosts appeared before the fan boys and scared the pants off of them. Of course, Mikan also got scared, but she just screamed out loud, unlike the boys who have all dropped the gifts and ran away. Natsume could only think of one person after seeing those ghosts, and the moment he saw a 7-year old boy walking towards Mikan, he smirked and left. 

"You-chan!" Mikan said as she saw the boy. 

Hijiri Youichi, also known as You-chan, was like the mini-Natsume, always pokerfaced and cold. He had unruly silver hair and a pair of green eyes that complimented his cool looks. He was a Triple Star student and one of the best elementary students in the Dangerous Ability Class. His Alice has the ability to summon spirits, making him very intimidating to other students. He looks up to Natsume like a brother, and he has grown much attached to Mikan since he was three. Honestly, Youichi has an innocent crush on Mikan and he can be very protective of her. "Onee-chan, you mustn't let those idiotic boys flirt with you," he said in a monotonous voice. 

Mikan tilted her head in confusion. "You-chan, they weren't flirting with me," she said innocently. "They were just being friendly." 

Youichi sighed. He knew how naïve Mikan was, but he liked that part about her. "Too friendly for their own good," he muttered, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Onee-chan, I didn't get to visit you at the hospital." 

Mikan knelt down to his level and placed both hands on his shoulder. "It's all right, You-chan. Tell me, were you worried about me?" She was talking in a motherly soft voice. 

Youichi tore his gaze from her and nodded his head only once. He wasn't good at showing emotions, but it was apparent that he was worried about Mikan. The brunette patted the little boy before she gave him a nice sweet hug. The fan boys observing them silently wished that they were in Youichi's place right now, and Youichi quickly glared at them. Then he suddenly thought of an idea to make the fan boys hysterical. He used his ability to grow 10-years older and became a handsome 17-year old boy. Due to the side effects of the Gulliver Candy—a candy that can make you older or younger—that he ate when he was three, he can freely grow 10-years older. He carried Mikan bridal style and planted one kiss on her temple. 

"Y-Y-You-chan!" Mikan uttered, placing her hands on her red cheeks. She didn't expect Youichi to do something aggressive as that. "What do you think you're doing? Let me down." She wouldn't mind holding and hugging a young Youichi, but having a 17-year old Youichi carrying you like a bride was kind of awkward. 

The fan boys were growing mad, and yet Youichi just ignored them. He placed Mikan down and reverted back to his 7-year old self. "I have to go now, Onee-chan," he said. He actually just went there to see if Mikan was all right. 

Mikan shook her head vigorously to rub of the awkward feeling in her heart and turned to smile at the boy. "All right, You-chan! Hey, come and visit my room if you have time, okay? It's been a long time since we last spent time together." She giggled. "Hey, you can sleep over if you want." 

Youchi wanted to smile, but he maintained his calm façade. "Sure, whatever…" Youichi started walking away and then he stopped to look back at her. "Make sure you have Fluff Puffs if I visit." After that, he left the auditorium. 

"He still loves Fluff Puffs," Mikan muttered, cupping her chin with her hand. She and Youichi were very fond of Fluff Puffs. After placing all the gifts in one corner, Mikan approached a certain blonde boy who was practicing his lines on the stage. "Hello, Ruka-pyon!" she greeted him cheerfully. "I can't wait to practice!" 

"It's good to see you so energetic, Sakura," Ruka said. "You don't look like that you've just been discharged from the hospital." 

"Well, it wouldn't be me if I become gloomy," Mikan said. 

"MIKAN-CHAN!!" Somebody shouted from afar, startling the two stars. Ruka and Mikan turned at the direction of the loud voice and saw a high school student standing by the doorway. "I FINALLY GET TO MEET YOU, MIKAN-CHAN!" Her voice was audible enough for the whole world to hear. 

"Who is that?" Mikan asked. 

"MIKAN-CHAN!!" She dashed towards Mikan in blinding speed and hugged her with all her might. "Kyaahhh! You're so huggable, Mikan-chan." She pulled herself away to look at the brunette and her heterochromatic eyes sparkled with delight. She was indeed a high school student, though she was acting like a deranged fan. She had long platinum-blue hair tied in a ponytail and heterochromatic eyes like Kawashima Kyo. 

"Umm…erm…" Mikan let out a nervous chuckle. 

"My brother was right! You're really cute up close. You look like a shoujo manga character. Kyahhh! You're so MOE!" She hugged Mikan again before releasing her from her grasp—a big relief for MIkan. "Let me introduce myself… I'm Kyo's older sister, Kawashima Asuka. I'm in my first year of high school." 

So, that explained the hair and the eyes… Asuka was Kyo's sister, and she was quite the beauty. Mikan thought of her as the female version of Kyo. "It's very nice to meet you, Asuka-senpai," Mikan said. "I'm a good friend of your brother." 

"Yeah, I know!" Asuka said, playing with her ponytail. "By the way, I'm here to take your measurements, Mikan-chan." 

"Eh? So that means you're the…" Mikan pointed at her curiously. 

"I'm the costume designer!" 

"Oh, wow!" Mikan clapped her hands. "Then you're from the Technical Class, right? Narumi-sensei told me that someone from the Technical Class is making our costumes. I can't believe that it turned out to be Kyo-kun's sister." 

"I was surprised as well," Ruka muttered in a low voice. At the time Asuka was taking his measurements, she kept asking him weird and personal questions. Okay, Ruka only answered some questions, but he became completely nervous when Asuka asked him about his love life. Asuka was so sharp and she was able to find out that he still had feelings for Mikan. 

"I'm going to make a really cute costume for you, Mikan-chan," Asuka said excitedly. "Just you wait, okay?" 

"I can't wait!" Mikan said in an equally excited tone. And then, Asuka hugged Mikan again, as if she was a giant teddy bear, and squeezed her hard. Mikan was suffocating in a funny way. "Asuka-senpai…I…can't…breathe…" she managed to say, and Asuka quickly released her and chuckled. 

Asuka was sure a bundle of joy and extremely exuberant. Unlike Kyo who was calm and a little eccentric, Asuka was more of the outgoing individual. In addition to that, the badge on her collar was clearly a Special Star badge. She was one of the principal students and a member of the Student Council. 

Mikan wondered why she hasn't seen her before in the Student Council meeting. "Asuka-senpai, a Special Star…" she said. 

"Oh, I was promoted to Special Star only last month!" Asuka said, scratching the back of her head. That was the reason why she wasn't present during the meetings. "Isn't it cool? I'm a Special Star like you, Mikan-chan, so we should get along!" Despite being hyper all the time, Asuka was a model student and the top of her class. She was naturally intelligent and an avid anime fan like Kyo. 

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: I think the part with Youichi and Mikan was really cute. I couldn't resist letting Youichi do that. He and Mikan look good together, quite frankly. There's also Sugita Aya. If you're familiar with her then you would know that she's a crossover character from Kodomo no Omocha or Kodocha. I'm very fond of her in that series, so I decided to put her here. She'll play a valuable role later on, but for now she's one of Mikan's admirers. And then there's Kawashima Asuka. She's a little different from Kyo. I'm sure you're all curious to know what Aya's and Asuka's Alices are, huh? You'll find out in the next chapter. Please review. No flaming! 


	12. Love Tangles

JC: I'm in my 12th chapter and I've got so many reviews. Thank you! Thank you very much for being loyal supporters of my story. I've introduced my OC, Kawashima Asuka, a crossover character, Sugita Aya, and the cute Hijiri Youichi in the previous chapter. I will reveal the Alice of Kawashima Asuka , and I'm sure you're looking forward to it. And I swear that this chapter will contain Natsume and Mikan moments that you'll surely enjoy! Mikan will also confront Kyo about the challenge invitation she found in Natsume's room. Okay, let's get this show on the road. 

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice or Sugita Aya from Kodocha.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 12: Love Tangles

"Mikan-chan, please wear this and that, and this!!" Kawashima Asuka, being hyper as usual, kept bringing in her handmade costumes or more like, masterpieces to Mikan. They were in Asuka's Special Star room and she already forced the young brunette to wear different Anime Character costumes as if she was preparing for a Cosplay event. Mikan didn't mind though, because she actually adored the costumes Asuka made and they seemed to fit her like a charm. Asuka kept on squealing and giggling every time Mikan walks out of the dressing room with a costume. "You're so cute, Mikan-chan! You look good in every costume! I especially adore you in the Card Captor Sakura outfits!" She hugged the brunette once again and released her just in time to let her breath. Ruka, who was watching the brunette all this time, couldn't help but blush, as he thought of how cute Mikan looked in those costumes. 

Mikan was currently clad in a Card Captor Sakura outfit—the one that the title character used in the Opening 3. Except for her long hair, which had two pink ribbons on each side, she definitely looked like Kinomoto Sakura. Asuka even told her that her personality was also like Sakura-chan, which made Mikan blushed. Mikan was getting so many compliments from Asuka and she didn't know what to say to her. "Thank you… Asuka-senpai…" 

"I also have Kaguya-hime's costume!" Of course, Asuka was referring to the young Japanese princess from the hit series, Code Geass. "I'm sure it'll look good on you too." Asuka immediately went into her enormous closet of costumes to find the said costume. 

Mikan sat down beside Ruka on the couch and sighed in relief. "I thought I was only getting my measurements taken. I didn't expect Asuka-senpai to turn me into a human doll." She looked at Ruka, and he immediately turned his head away in embarrassment. His face was as red as a tomato and he didn't want Mikan to see it. "Ruka-pyon, are you all right?" 

"Y-yeah… I'm fine…" he nervously answered. He slowly turned his head at her again and took a deep breath. "Um…Sakura…you look really good in that costume." He knew that he was still blushing and he wished he could just evaporate into thin air. 

"Thank you, Ruka-pyon," she said brightly. She then noticed his red face and placed a hand on his temple. "You're so red. Do you have a fever?" She couldn't feel anything with her hand, so she placed her temple against his instead. This set Ruka's heart in motion. 

He pulled himself away and turned around, panting hard. She was too close for comfort, and Ruka had hard time breathing. For a second there, he felt the urge to kiss her and hug her. But he had self-control and he didn't want to do anything to confuse Mikan. 

"Ruka-pyon?" 

"S-sorry about that, Sakura…" Ruka muttered before standing up. "I'm all right." He glanced back at the brunette and smiled. His face was back to its natural color, yet his heart was aching inside. His love for Mikan was still strong and he could never erase it from his heart. He didn't know if he could continue living like that. He knew that Mikan belonged to his best friend and he was happy as long as Mikan was happy. But there were times that he thought of taking Mikan away from Natsume, sometimes due to a bit of jealousy. It was a selfish thought, but no one could blame him for that. Still, he didn't do anything to destroy Mikan and Natsume's relationship. He loved the two very much and he wanted to keep a firm friendship with him. 

Mikan smiled back and stood up as well. "That's good to know," she said. She walked towards the middle of the room and twirled around. "Ruka-pyon, what do you think Natsume will say if he sees me in this costume?" 

Before Ruka could even answer, a voice cut him off, saying, "What the hell are you wearing?" Ruka and Mikan quickly turned their heads at the direction of the voice and saw Natsume standing by the doorway together with Kawashima Kyo. 

"Natsume, Kyo-kun!" Mikan beamed as she ran towards the two.

Kyo slightly blushed at the sight of the brunette. "Wow! Mikan-sama, you look gorgeous. You're like the long-haired version of Kinomoto Sakura from Card Captor Sakura." Spoken like a true otaku, Kyo definitely liked the costume she was wearing and thought of taking a picture of her for keeps. 

"Thank you, Kyo-kun!" 

"You know what; my sister has been dying to meet you. She said that she wanted you to try on her costumes because you're a walking example of a MOE character. I think so too. What do you think of my sister?" 

"She's really great, Kyo-kun, and friendly too. I love her costumes, though I find it hard to keep up with her. How come you never told me you had an older sister?" 

"My sister is pretty weird, and I sometimes get embarrassed when she's around. I just don't feel like talking about her to other people." Kyo scratched the back of his head and chuckled. It was then he got smacked by a paper fan courtesy of his older sister, Asuka. 

"Embarrassed, huh?" Asuka's tone was deadly as she folded her arms over her chest. "Why are you even here, Kyo?" She tapped her foot impatiently on the carpeted floor, waiting for him to reply. 

Kyo rubbed his poor head and shot his sister a glare. "Is it a habit for you to always hit me with a paper fan every time we see each other?" he asked sarcastically, and Asuka just snorted. "Anyway, I'm here because Hyuuga was looking for his girlfriend. I asked the guys from the Somatic Class where Mikan-sama was and they said that you kidnapped her along with Nogi. And now here I see you turning Mikan-sama into a cosplayer, not as if I mind though." 

"Oh, is that so?" Asuka glanced at the raven-haired boy. "So, you're Mikan-chan's boyfriend, Hyuuga Natsume-kun…" She cupped her chin with her hand and walked around Natsume as if she was some kind of judge. 

"Nee-chan, what are you doing?" Kyo asked with a big sweat drop on his head. 

Asuka heaved a sigh and faced the brunette with a frown. "Mikan-chan, what did you see in this guy? He's not even as cute as Ruka-kun!" Her sudden outburst made everyone's eye grew wide in a funny way. Without looking back at Natsume, she pointed a finger at him and placed a hand on her temple. "My…Oh…my… How did a sweet and cute girl like Mikan-chan ended up with a bad-boy type like Hyuuga-kun? The world is totally screwed." 

"Um…Asuka-senpai…Natsume isn't what you think…" Mikan tried to explain. 

Natsume's eyebrow twitched and he seemed to be trying to maintain his self-control, but he was very annoyed at that point. 

As much as Kyo wanted to butt in, he remained silent. He, too, had also said the same things to Natsume before, and he had no right to sermon his older sister. But he wished she would shut up before anything bad happens. 

"Well, since Hyuuga and Mikan-chan are a couple, we can't do anything about it," Asuka said as she spun around like a human top. She then stopped and pointed at Natsume. "You…You're like those bad-ass characters from Shoujo mangas and they always get paired up with the sweet girls. You're pretty lucky to have Mikan-chan as you're girlfriend, so don't do anything stupid to hurt her! Get that straight, Hyuuga-kun." She didn't hate Natsume or look down at him, though she was aware of her brother's huge crush on Mikan. She only said that to warn Natsume not to hurt Mikan. She always hated to see cute girls cry just because of a guy. 

Natsume took in everything she said but pretended to ignore her by walking past her. He approached Mikan and told her to take the costume off right away. "I'm getting hungry, so you better hurry it up," he said nonchalantly, earning him a smack on the head with the paper fan. 

Mikan, Ruka and Kyo sweat dropped. That has got to hurt. Asuka wasn't afraid of Natsume nor did she admire him like other girls. She treated him just like the way she treats her younger brother, much to Natsume's chagrin. "Is that any way to talk to your girlfriend, idiot?!" she yelled out. 

Natsume shot her a death glare. "I'll kill you," he said seriously, but Asuka merely stuck her tongue at him. The temperature inside the room was getting hotter and hotter by the minute. Ruka and Mikan were getting worried about Natsume's temper. 

"Oh, you wanna fight?" Asuka challenged him, tapping her paper fan on her shoulder. She was pretty confident for a girl. Just then, her brother swiped the paper fan away from her and hit her head hard. Asuka, of course, winced in pain. "Why you sneaky brat! What did you do that for?!" She glared at Kyo with her heterochromatic eyes. 

"Stop provoking Hyuuga, Nee-chan," Kyo said, throwing the fan away. "It's so un-lady-like." 

Asuka shrugged. "Whatever, Kyo…" She turned to Mikan again and hugged her. "I want you to stay with me forever. I still have a lot more costumes for you."

"I appreciate the thought, but I should really be going now," Mikan said, worried that if Natsume and Asuka stay in one room a little longer there would be chaos. "I really had a great time with you, senpai. I'll try out your other costumes some other time, okay?" She smiled cheerfully. 

"All right… But before you go, please do me one favor and take out the Clow Card from you pocket." 

"Clow Card?" 

"It's a magical card that Sakura used in the series," Kyo informed her, as Natsume and Ruka wondered what Asuka was up to. Kyo seemed to know what was on her mind, as Asuka grabbed the Card Captor rod from her desk and handed it to Mikan. 

"Now throw that card in front of you and hit it with the wand," Asuka said, "and don't forget to yell out the name of the card." 

Mikan nodded her head in reply. She looked at the card, named The Fly, and looked at the rod. It was a pink rod with a star-shaped design on top. She glanced around only to realize that everyone was patiently waiting for her. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened her eyes again as she exhaled. "Here goes…" She threw the card in front of her and immediately hit it with the rod as she shouted, "FLY!!" The card unleashed a radiant glow upon impact with the rod and blinded everyone in the room. As they opened their eyes again, they all saw a magnificent sight. Mikan, who was currently a Card Captor, had beautiful light-pink wings on her back, making her look like an angel. 

The boys were definitely amazed by such heavenly elegance. Ruka and Kyo flushed red at the same time as Natsume pretended not to look surprise. 

"Oh my gosh!!" Asuka danced around, flailing her arms up and down, and twirled around like a ballerina. She was bursting with joy. "Mikan-chan, you're so cute! That was beautiful!" She held Mikan's hands and swung it vigorously in excitement. 

Mikan peered over her shoulders to look at her wings. "These wings…" she muttered as she turned to Asuka. "They're great, Asuka-senpai! Is this your Alice?" 

"Do you really want to know what kind of Alice I have?" 

"Yes!" 

"With the costumes and clothes I make, I can turn fantasy into reality," Asuka explained proudly. "Take the costume for an example…I based that costume on Card Captor Sakura. Now anyone who wears that costume will gain the magical ability of Kinomoto Sakura." 

Mikan looked more impressed by the minute. "So, what do you call your Alice, senpai?" she asked. 

"Basically, it can be called a Reality Warping Alice, but my Alice only works with the clothes and weapons I make." Asuka walked over to the couch and sat down. "The teachers here call it the Materialization Alice." 

"It's a cool Alice, senpai! I love it!" 

"It's nice to hear that from you, Mikan-chan," Asuka said. "Anyway… I think it's time for dinner. I shouldn't be keeping you guys here any longer."

Kyo narrowed his eyes at her. "Did you realize that just now?" 

Asuka popped a vein and rose from the couch. "You leave right this instant, brat!" she bellowed. She marched up towards Kyo, grabbed him by the collar, and threw him out the door. It may seemed like they had a weird brother and sister relationship, but the two actually cared for one another. Kyo loved to tease her sister often, and Asuka just loved torturing her brother. It was normal for them to always bicker and hit each other. 

"She's scary…" Mikan whispered to Natsume and Ruka, and the two boys nodded their heads in agreement. "Umm… Asuka-senpai, may I take the costume off now?" 

"Sure…Just promise me that you'll try on more of my costumes tomorrow, okay?" Asuka asked so sweetly. 

"Okay…" Mikan went into the dressing room to change, and after two minutes, she came out in her school uniform, but she forgot to take off the pink ribbons off her hair. "I'm done!" 

"Mikan-chan, Ruka-kun, I'll definitely come and watch your practice tomorrow," Asuka said, secretly sticking a small wing sticker on Mikan's back. "Your play is really interesting." 

"Thank you, Asuka-senpai," Mikan replied. "Well then, I'll see you tomorrow." 

"Hey, Hyuuga-kun, take care of Mikan-chan or else!" Asuka demanded as she slapped his back. But she only did that to stick a wing sticker on his back as well. From the look in his crimson eyes, Asuka could tell that Natsume was annoyed as hell with her, but she didn't care. She even dragged Mikan and Natsume to her balcony and left them there. 

"What are you planning to do?" Ruka asked the senior, who was snickering like a sly old fox. 

Before Mikan could asked the older girl, Asuka pulled a lever located beside the entrance of the balcony and opened a trap door beneath the couple. "We're on the fourth floor, so I'm sure you guys will be dead once you hit the ground," she said it so casually that everyone gave her strange looks. After a few seconds being suspended in air, Natsume and Mikan started falling down. The Sakura Sensor immediately paled white in fear. Asuka rushed out to the balcony with a megaphone in her hand and shouted, "Release!!" 

"AHH!! Natsume, we're going to die!" Mikan yelled out. 

There was no way to save themselves from falling—even if Natsume could think of something. He pulled Mikan close to him and hugged her tightly. If he'll die, he'll surely haunt Asuka for the rest of his eternal life. Just then, the two of them stopped in mid-air, and while Mikan had her eyes closed, Natsume's eyes grew wide at the sight of wings on their backs. "We're saved…" he muttered. 

"Eh?" Mikan opened her eyes and saw the black wings on Natsume's back. "Ah! Natsume, you have wings! Where did you get them?" 

"I can ask you the same thing," he replied in a bored tone as he kept holding her tight. 

Mikan peered over her shoulders and saw a pair of white wings. "Wow! We have wings and we're actually flying!" She sounded so excited. She seemed to have forgotten the life and death situation they were in a while ago.

"That was close…" Ruka muttered with a sigh. "What were you thinking, senpai?" He looked indifferently at Asuka.

Asuka let out a chuckle. Through the megaphone, she said, "Mikan-chan, Hyuuga-kun, I wanted to test out my wing stickers that I've purposely stuck to your backs and I can't believe it's working like a charm." She played with her ponytail with her free hand and leaned her back against the railing. "Thank you for your cooperation. Now I can mass produce the stickers and sell them off to other students." Asuka was also an enterprising student. 

Mikan and Ruka sweat dropped, while Natsume tried to restrain himself from burning the girl. When the couple flew back to the balcony, Natsume shot his deadliest glare at Asuka with his blood-shot eyes. He lit up a flame on his palm. He looked like an angel of death with those wings, as he hovered over Asuka. "Were you trying to kill us?" he grumbled. 

If Natsume looked like an angel of death, Mikan looked like a heavenly angel. She nullified Natsume's fire and lowered his arm down. "Natsume, don't start… Asuka-senpai was just having fun. Besides, she wouldn't really let us fall without anything to save us. She gave us these wings first." True, Mikan proved a point, but Natsume still wanted to murder Asuka. 

"Yeah…Maybe I would kill you, but I will never hurt Mikan-chan," Asuka said, snickering again. 

Natsume sighed in frustration and turned his head away. Kawashima Asuka was as annoying as her younger brother, and that fact alone pissed him off. 

"Anyway…You guys can keep the wings. Think of it as a promotional present!" Asuka then pulled Mikan towards her and whispered something in her ear. "Got it?" 

Mikan nodded. "I'll just say those words to use the wings." 

"That's right!" Asuka stretched out her arms and spun around. "I still have some work to do like finishing your costumes and stuff. I'm going to be busy tonight. Ruka-kun, I'll show you to the door." She went inside her room first. 

"She's really weird," Ruka commented, smiling awkwardly at Mikan and Natsume. "Well, I bet you two are heading towards the dorm by air. See you there…" With that, he walked back into the room. 

Mikan spun around in air and flew high to view the entire academy. She was enjoying the wings she got but Natsume was still serious. "Natsume, let's play for a while," she said. 

"No…" he replied as he stuffed his hand in his pockets. "Let's head back." He flew to her side and their eyes met. 

Mikan let out a slow sigh. "You're really a boring person, Natsume…" she said. Natsume shrugged, and Mikan held his hand. She drew her face nearer to his and gave him the puppy-dog look. She was absolutely adorable, much to Natsume's dismay. Her face was simply irresistible. This was Mikan's way of convincing him do something for her. "Natsume, please…" she begged. 

Natsume looked at her with a raised brow. "Fine then…" he said with so much distaste. "Just 15 minutes…" 

"Yay! Thank you, Natsume!" She put her arms around him and kissed his cheek. "Let's go!" As she was about to fly away, Natsume pulled her back and crashed his lips against her. Clearly he wasn't satisfied with a peck on the cheek and desired for something sweeter. And Mikan's lips were the sweetest thing for him. The brunette blushed furiously, but she gave in to the kiss and deepened it more. 

From a distance, the couple looked like two heavenly beings in love, as the moon illuminated them, giving such a magical glow. It was a picture-perfect sight, and Asuka took the liberty of taking a picture of them from inside her room. 

* * *

After a fun time flying around the campus, the couple had dinner in the cafeteria. It didn't take them long to finish their food, and after dinner, they went straight to their rooms. Mikan took off the Sakura Sensor once she sat down on her bed and placed it on her bedside table. She unbuttoned her coat, took it off, and settled it on her lap. She found the wing sticker at the back and removed it. She examined the sticker for about ten seconds before she placed it beside the Sakura Sensor. She then went to the bathroom to do her nightly routine, and after a few minutes she came out looking refreshed and ready for bed in her night gown. She sat in the bed and hugged one of her pillows tight. 

"I wonder what Hotaru is doing right now…" She picked up the Sakura Sensor and held it against her heart. "Hotaru, I really miss you…" And she was sure that her best friend, though weird and cold on the surface, also missed her too. A lot of things had happened since Hotaru left, and she wondered if anyone had told Hotaru about the AAO incident. She wouldn't want Hotaru to worry about her while she was working hard with her inventions in another country. In the midst of her thoughts, her bedroom door creaked open and Natsume came in casually wearing a plain red shirt and white pajama bottom.

"What's the matter?" Natsume questioned, noticing the sad look on her face. 

Mikan shook her head and smiled. "It's nothing. I was just thinking of Hotaru." 

"She's fine. That witch can take care of herself." He sat down beside her and took the sensor from her and placed it back on the drawer. "She monitors you everyday through that junk. She'll know if you're sad or not." He generally knew Hotaru would always want a happy and carefree Mikan. 

She laughed to herself. "You're right! But I really miss her, Natsume." She laid her head on his lap and entwined her hand with his. "Natsume, what do you think of the costume I wore back at Asuka-senpai's place? Did you like it?" Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as she waited for her boyfriend to reply. 

He was silent for a while as she gazed upon the brunette's amber orbs. "I don't hate it," he said, and Mikan smiled wider. His 'I don't hate it' line meant 'I like it'. Natsume was never good at giving compliments. 

She sat up and turned to him. "I'm so happy to hear that!" She had reached out for him and was tickling him. 

"Hey, stop it," he ordered, trying his best not to laugh. She was enjoying ticking him so much to stop. "Stop it, polka-dots or I'll—"

"Burn me? Yeah, right! I'm sure you won't do that. Besides, I can nullify your Alice easily." She was laughing hard, and she was tangled into his arms, her pale pink silk nightgown creeping up toward her waist. He stopped for a moment, and looked at her, lying in his arms. She had never looked as beautiful, as delicate, and he wanted to hold her that way forever. He wanted to stop time. 

"What's the matter, Natsume?" She had seen the look in his crimson eyes and was watching him warily. "Is something wrong?" She had failed to realize that her panties were clearly visible. 

"You're beautiful…" His face remained completely emotionless when he said that. 

Mikan gasped at what he said. She could only hear him say such a compliment on rare occasions. She slid her body onto his and smiled happily at him. "And entirely yours, Natsume…" she said as she settled her mouth on his for a long tender kiss. She was driving his hormones out of control again. Mikan had only meant a harmless kiss, but Natsume turned aggressive. 

_And entirely yours, Natsume… _The way she said those words were quite seductive for him, though she only meant it in a naive way. Natsume shoved her away and pinned her down the bed so he would be on top of her. Natsume began to kiss her face gently. Her lips. Each of her cheeks. The tip of her nose. Her closed eyelids. Her forehead. Then releasing her face, his hands began to caress her body, smoothing down her neck over her shoulders. "Mikan…" he said in his deep voice.

"Natsume…" Mikan didn't stop him. She felt intoxicated with his touch and his kisses. She felt like giving herself to him wholeheartedly. Was she giving into lust? She hadn't fully grasped the whole meaning of sex between couples and she had never thought about it much in the past. She couldn't even tell if someone was talking about sex or not. She was too innocent to know of such things. She felt her heart thudding rapidly as Natsume cupped her breast in his hand. She loved him so much. Indeed he almost frightened her, but something deep within her wanted him to continue onward. It would end in the terrifying act of coupling, she knew, but she still wanted his lips on her, wanted his hands that roused such feelings of utter roiling confusion inside of her. 

He stared down on her for a moment. She could have no idea how exquisite her body was. He laid his head upon her chest. "I should stop…" he muttered. Much to his surprise, he somehow managed to get his self-control back. "I could get you pregnant…" 

"I'm afraid, but not afraid at the same time," she told him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. "But I trust you…I know you'll not hurt me, Natsume…" She was willing to give herself to him, and she had a loving smile on her face. The look in her eyes was so pure and enthralling. 

A smirk for a smile, Natsume brushed his fingers through her silky hair. His hands began to roam over her body. Her own fragrance filled his nostrils, turning him on even more. His hunger for her was strong. Natsume promised her that he will be gentle with her, and Mikan nodded her head. In less than a minute the pink silk nightgown lay on the floor. The two of them made love for the first time and neither of them was going to regret what they did. They slept peacefully that night, with their bodies so close together, as they dreamt of wonderful things about each other. It was sunrise before they climbed out of bed. Mikan yawned sleepily as she stood at the door to the terrace, still naked but wrapped in a blanket, with her hair falling down her back. He watched her from the bed, wanting her to stay there forever. 

"You know, Hotaru will kill you if she ever finds out about this." He kept his crimson eyes on her as she turned to him again. She looked so fragile and innocent. 

"If she finds out…" Natsume said, brushing his hands through his raven hair. The night he had with her would be a memorable one for him. To be honest, he had a number of wet dreams already about Mikan and his hormones had always given him trouble. When he made love to her, it was like the raging war inside of him had finally calmed down and he felt satisfied. Although he had broken Hotaru's rule, he was careful enough to be gentle with Mikan. They were young, and he knew that well, but they loved each other dearly. "We're not going to tell that freaky inventor or anyone else, understand?" 

"I don't want her to kill you, so I'll stay quiet," Mikan said, giggling sweetly. She took out two robes from the closet and put one on. She then threw the other robe at Natsume. He didn't look happy when she mentioned Hotaru to him, but she understood him. Hotaru was always hard of him.

* * *

It was two in the afternoon when Mikan hauled Kyo away from the Special Ability Class and brought him to a vacant classroom to talk to him. She had never really had the chance to talk to him privately since the AAO incident. She wanted to inquire him about the challenge he and his fan club set up for Natsume and Ruka. She simply kept her peace as she started questioning about it and kept her amber eyes locked on Kyo's heterochromatic ones. Kyo was rather surprised with her and stayed quiet for a long time. He had expected Mikan to forget about it, but there she was asking him about it. He can't lie to her at that moment, so he might as well explain everything to her. 

"The whole fan club hated Hyuuga and Nogi for being so close to you—even me…" Kyo started as he lowered his head. "That's why we've came up with that challenge." 

"I've read the challenge invitation, Kyo-kun," Mikan said, clenching her fists. "And if Natsume and Ruka-pyon lost, they'll be forced to cut their connections with me. How could you guys think of such a selfish thing? Did you even consider my feelings?" 

Kyo felt like he got slapped hard. He bowed his head and said, "I'm sorry, Mikan-sama…" He was being sincere about it. "In behalf of the whole fan club, I'm really sorry…" 

"Kyo-kun, why did you…"

"It's because I love you, Mikan-sama," he blurted as he looked at her. "A lot of us love you so much. And we can't accept the fact you're going out with that Hyuuga jerk…" Kyo placed a hand over his face to hide his blush. 

Mikan's eyes grew wide in surprise. She had known that her fan club had existed since she was in sixth grade, and Hotaru told her that the boys admired her like a pop star idol. She had never realized that some of her fan boys were serious about her. "Kyo-kun…" She reached over and took his hand. "I may not understand your feelings much and I'm sorry. But you do know that I love Natsume." She wasn't an expert in love and she was naïve when it comes to boys' feelings as well. 

"I know…" Kyo removed his hand from his face and showed her a handsome smile. "I know…That's why it hurts so much. But I've realized that if I really love you, then I should be happy when you're happy. And you're the happiest when you're with Hyuuga." His words were all genuine. As he gently squeezed her hand, tears started coming out of his eyes. 

"Kyo-kun…" 

"I'm letting you go, Mikan-sama…" Kyo said low and then he hugged her. 

Mikan felt sorry for Kyo, but she was glad that he finally made the decision to let her go. She knew it was hard of him. "I'm sorry, Kyo-kun." 

"No, don't apologize, Mikan-sama…" He slowly pushed her away and faced her. "Even though I'm letting go of my love for you, I'm still going to admire you as a loyal fan." His lips curved into a smile as he caressed her cheek with his hand. 

Mikan slightly blushed and giggled. "Kyo-kun, are you serious?" 

He released her from his grasps and opened his arms wide. "Of course! You're like an idol to me, Mikan-sama! It's not a crime to be a fan, you know." He chuckled to himself and took one of her hand. "Mikan-sama, from now on, I'll support you and Hyuuga. I'll also make sure that Hyuuga will never hurt you and I'll try to keep the fan club in control." 

"You promise?" Mikan held out her pinky finger and smiled radiantly at Kyo. 

The platinum-blue-haired boy couldn't help blushing, yet he maintained his smile as he made a pinky promise with her. Kyo wasn't going to go after Mikan anymore, to try and make her his girlfriend. He was beyond that. He loved Mikan so much he decided to give up on her and make her happy. The happiness of the one you love is the thing that matters most, Kyo thought silently, as she continued smiling at the lovely brunette. 

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: I practically enjoyed writing about Asuka-senpai here. She's so hyper and reminds me of a certain classmate of mine. The cosplay thing just hit me all of the sudden and the first anime that came into mind was Card Captor Sakura. I've also mentioned about Code Geass there. I'm planning to keep Aya's Alice a secret for now, since she'll have a major role later in the story. Asuka's Alice can turn fantasy into reality with the things she makes. She's also into the money-making business. I am not going to write LEMON. I know Mikan and Natsume made love in this chapter, but I didn't include erotic scenes. I've just came up with the idea when I read about articles on young people having sex. Basically, it's pretty normal nowadays, though I don't actually support it. It's good that Kyo finally let go, but he will keep admiring her like a fan. But what about Ryou and the other fan club members? The Alice Festival will start in the next chapter. Please leave a review. No flames! 


	13. The Alice Festival Starts!

JC: My head hurts. I've like spent the whole day in front of the computer just to finish chapter 13. We're going to have the Alice Festival in this chapter. The Special Ability Class is doing something like the RPG, but something that Kyo had thought up. The play won't be on until the third day of the Alice Festival. Let's get to reading, shall we? 

Anime Look-Alike Note: Kawashima Kyo (Lee Syaoran-CCS), Hibiki Ryou (Athrun Zala-Gundam SEED), Kawashima Asuka (Suzumiya Haruhi)

Disclaimer: My original characters are: Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou. Cross-over Character, Sugita Aya, is from the series Kodomo no Omocha or Kodocha. The Gakuen Alice series is owned by Higuchi Tachibana-sensei. The song 'Over the Fantasy' is a song by Kana Ueda (Mikan's Seiyuu).

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 13: The Alice Festival Starts! 

With only fifteen minutes to go before the opening performance, Sakura Mikan was backstage, practicing her voice properly. Once she had put on her outfit and light make-up, she didn't have anything else to do but sit around and wait. She went to the red velvet curtain that was pulled across the stage and peeked out. It was a bright and cool day. The opening program was being held in an outdoor stage as usual, and she could see the excited look on each of the students' faces. The students were lined up in their respective classes: Latent Ability Class, Technical Class, Somatic Class, and the Special Ability Class. The Dangerous Ability Class lay hidden among the other classes because they were not allowed to openly participate in the Alice Festival. 

She spotted her Special Ability Class, all lined up accordingly. Harada Misaki's red hair was pulled back in a cluttered ponytail, and she was wearing her Special Star badge on her high school uniform. Her favorite senior, Andou Tsubasa, was wearing a black hat with blue linings and his uniform improperly as usual, but, like Misaki, he was also wearing his Special Star Badge. Those two don't usually showoff their Special Star badges, so they don't wear it everyday. They were required by the student council to wear it during the Alice Festival to denote their status as Representatives of the Special Ability Class. Next to her seniors stood Kawashima Kyo, handsome and cool as always. His fan girls kept gawking at him. And beside him—

Mikan blinked. Beside Kyo was Ibaragi Nobara. She rubbed her eyes and looked again. Yes, there was absolutely no doubt of it. The infamous Ice Princess of the Dangerous Ability Class was in line together with the Special Ability Class. Mikan could hardly believe it. Nobara, if not on a mission, would usually stay in the shadows during the opening ceremony of the Alice Festival, and she could only find her later. 

The president of the student council was currently giving his opening remarks, as the other members of the student council sat patiently on the stage. Among them was Natsume Hyuuga. He could've skipped the opening remarks and come in later, but his girlfriend forced him to be present. It wasn't his decision to be in the Student Council. Well, his girlfriend was also part of it, so it wasn't really bad for him. He wished the president would finish up, so he could get to see his girlfriend perform. 

"There you are, Mikan-chan," the cheerful and perky Kawashima Asuka said excitedly. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

Mikan turned around and dropped the corner of the curtain. "What is it, senpai?" she asked. 

Asuka put her arm around her shoulders. "I just wanted to see you in the costume I made before you go out there." 

Mikan's amber eyes were brimming with anticipation. "Your costumes are the best, Asuka-senpai." 

"Of course," Asuka boasted, hitting her chest lightly with a clenched fist. "I'm just great and talented." She was full of confidence and she was never shy to compliment herself. She sort of has a little bit of Narcissism in her system. 

Giggling, Mikan twirled around and faced Asuka with a smile. Her outfit was a carnation pink dress with rose pink short skirt, complete with a long pink bow on her back, lacy pink gloves, and lacy pink boots. Her silky brown hair was pulled back in a half-ponytail tied with a carnation pink ribbon. She was also wearing a jeweled headpiece and pink diamond dangling earrings. "I've practiced real hard for this. I hope everyone will be pleased." 

"You're cute and multi-talented, Mikan-chan! Everyone will be amazed by your voice and my costume," Asuka said, pointing a finger at Mikan. "So break a leg!" 

Mikan nodded her head. "Thanks, Asuka-senpai." She was a little nervous about the whole performing thing, but she was confident enough to do it. 

"Well, I better head back to the stage. The vice-president will kill me if I take my time here." She lifted the red velvet curtain and went out. Asuka snuck back to her proper seat on the stage, but she got a questioning yet intimidating look from the vice-president. Asuka merely made a peace sign with her hand. 

On the other side of the stage, the three principals of each division sat on exquisite furniture that almost looked like thrones. The elementary principal and high school principal were clad in formal suits, while the middle school principal was dressed in a very beautiful crimson kimono with elegant flower patterns on it. The teachers were lined in front of their students according to their ability types. Narumi-sensei was dressed in a 'Knight of the Rounds' suit with a matching blue cape. The costume was made by the Asuka, which was inspired by Code Geass, and Narumi loved it. 

After the long yet inspirational speech, the president was pleased to announce the official start of the Alice Festival. The crowd cheered out loud, all excited for the festival. The emcee took over the stage once the president went back to his seat. The emcee was a double star middle school student and he was wearing a tag that says 'Sakura Mikan Fan Club', so it was fairly obvious that the guy was a Mikan fanatic. "To start off the festival, Alice Academy's princess, Sakura Mikan-sama, will entertain us with a song number." With that, the red velvet curtain slowly rose. 

Mikan moved a few steps forward and revealed her first class smile to everyone. The Mikan fan boys and her close friends were awed by her beauty and her wonderful outfit. Some of the girls couldn't help feeling jealous of Mikan and some admired her even more than before. Asuka was very proud of her masterpiece and the fact that a walking MOE character was wearing it. Kyo was slightly blushing as he wore a big smile on his face. He had to admit that his sister had done a great job in designing the outfit. Mikan was absolutely stunning. Hibiki Ryou was busy taking pictures of Mikan with the new camera he bought from Central Town. His digital camera was the latest model from Sony. 

"Mikan-chan is so cute…" Nobara muttered softly as she pulled out a mini-camera from her pocket. She began taking pictures of Mikan. She has a lot of pictures of Mikan in her personal album already and she doesn't mind adding more to her collection. She liked Mikan very much as a good friend and had admired her ever since Mikan was ten. 

Nogi Ruka was blushing ten shades of red when he saw Mikan in the outfit. She was so cute, he thought. If he had a camera he would take a picture of Mikan right away. He wondered if he could compliment her properly when she'll ask him about the outfit. He certainly hoped so. He always had a hard time giving compliments to Mikan. He would always stutter and turn away. 

On the other hand, Natsume, who seemed emotionless a while ago, was astounded by his girlfriend's appearance. His crimson eyes were practically glued to her as he gazed at her from head to toe. Not only was she cute, she was downright sexy. And when he saw some of the guy's perverted faces from the audience, his protective side acted up again. 

Mikan was ready to sing, with her microphone in her hand. The music started softly and smoothly, and then it suddenly became jumpy and exciting. The title of the song was 'Over the Fantasy'. 

_daichi ni sosogu yoake  
tabidatsu toki o tsugeru _

The young brunette was not only singing, she was also dancing to the beat. She was singing with passion and her voice was very beautiful. 

_mirai o mezashi kakete yuku kaze  
kono mune ni suikonda _

She waved her hand at the Special Ability Students. Kyo's smile grew wider as he waved back at the brunette. Misaki and Tsubasa gave her a smile, while Nobara shyly waved her hand at Mikan. 

_yume dake o kizamitsuketa hitomi  
bokura ni yuku michi o ataeru _

_Fly to the neverland kagiri nai yuuki o mezamesasete_

She spotted Ruka from the Somatic Class and waved her hand. Ruka swore that his face was like a red Christmas bulb. Shouda Sumire happened to notice his expression and giggled sweetly. "Ruka-kun is so cute with his face like that," she said, and Ruka just stared at her as if she was crazy.

She blew a flying kiss at her favorite teacher, Narumi-sensei, and he did the same thing in return. Honestly, Narumi annoyed the heck out of Natsume. This was his stupid jealousy taking over his mind again. But he wished that the teacher would stop flirting with his Mikan. 

_kokoro no sunda hana o  
arashi demo sakasetara _

_shizukesa ga tsutsumi  
arasoi no nai sekai ni umarekawaru _

_mugendai ni hirogaritsuzukeru  
mune no oku o ai de umeyou _

_Fly to the neverland shinjiau hito no te o torinagara _

She turned to the Latent Ability Class and waved her hand at Tobita Yuu, the class representative of her class, best friends Kokoroyomi and Kitsuneme, and Ryou who was still clicking away with his camera. Next, she shifted her eyes on the Technical Class and waved at her two adorable friends, Ogasawara Nonoko and Umenomiya Anna. 

_yume dake o kizamitsuketa hitomi  
bokura ni yuku michi o ataeru _

_Fly to the neverland kagiri nai yuuki o mezamesasete _

When the song was done, the audience exploded into applause. Mikan smiled brightly and bowed her head at them. It was a wonderful, thrilling moment, another moment Mikan would never forget. She had already performed a few times for the opening ceremonies, but she was always with a partner or in a group whenever she was on stage. She even danced hip hop with Harada Misaki last year and it took the audience by storm. Basically, it was her first time to perform alone for the opening ceremony and it was a success. 

"I'm glad that everyone enjoyed my performance," Mikan began, holding the microphone with both hands. She had her smile on and her eyes were so bright and cheery. "Alice Festival is one of the greatest celebrations in the Academy. I'm sure that each class has prepared something great again, and I'm excited to visit each attraction. The Alice Festival is all about having fun, so let's not hold back and go all out, everyone!" When she finished speaking, the crowd roared once again, and the fan boys' eyes have all turned into pink hearts. 

Mikan spun around on her heels and her eyes immediately locked on her boyfriend. She motioned over to Natsume's side and leaned down. "By the way, that song was dedicated to you…" She whispered in his ear. She straightened up quickly and smiled. "I'll be in the dressing room. See ya, Natsume…" She left the stage as the crowd continued to yell out her name in admiration, and Natsume went on thinking about her splendid performance. 

* * *

Over the years, ever since Mikan came to the Academy, the Special Ability Class had been very popular during Alice Festivals. The Special Ability Class was a peculiar class and the Alices of the students there could be sorted out from strange to rare. Their 'Aladdin and the Magic Lamp' RPG, an idea given by Mikan, had became one of the top attractions in the past and it earned the class a Special Award. The succeeding years were glorious for this class. For four consecutive years they've been winning the Special Award and it was all thanks to Mikan's brilliant ideas. 

Some of the students of the Special Ability Class were also winning individual awards. Just last year, Tsubasa won the 'King of Alice' award as his girlfriend, Misaki, won the 'Queen of Alice' award. Both of them were quite dumbfounded when their names got called out. They weren't expecting it, but they were honored to receive their trophies. 

This year the Special Ability Class had taken up Kyo's idea. The attraction was all set up and the students were ready to show it off to the world. A lot of people were lined up, all excited to see what kind of attraction they have. Majority of the people there was Mikan's fan boys and some admirers of Misaki. There were also several girls who were dying to see Tsubasa and Kyo. 

Two Special Ability Students came out and greeted the crowd. One of them was wearing a Samurai costume and his hair was pulled back in a low ponytail. The other one was clad in a Hunter outfit—the one from Ragnarok Online—complete with the bow and arrows. "Welcome!" the Samurai began, and the Hunter continued, "To the Special Ability Class's…" And then the two of them spoke at the same time. "Cosplay World!!" 

Meanwhile, inside the Cosplay World Attraction, Tsubasa, Kyo, and Natsume were leaning against the wall, waiting for the girls to come out. Tsubasa looked so cool in his Shinigami costume from the hit series, Bleach—complete with a sword. On the other hand, the handsome Kyo had an Assassin Cross outfit on from Ragnarok Online. Natsume didn't want to do cosplay, but his girlfriend used the puppy-dog eyes again and forced him to join. He was currently dressed up as Echizen Ryoma from the series, Prince of Tennis, and he even has a tennis racket with him. 

Misaki and Mikan came out of the other room after a few minutes, all dressed up in their costumes. Both of them were wearing the school uniforms from 'The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi', with Misaki as the title character, Haruhi, and Mikan being the pretty and cute Asahina Mikuru. Misaki had a headband with two ribbons on her head and her serious face expression was so like Haruhi. Mikan's brown hair was styled just like Mikuru's hair and the short skirt was revealing her slender and flawless legs. 

Natsume and Kyo couldn't help staring at Mikan, though the flame caster kept up the stoic face. Tsubasa was almost close to drooling, as he stared at his red-haired girlfriend, but Misaki immediately whacked him on the head. 

"It's rude to stare, idiot," Misaki told him, showing him a clenched hand. 

Tsubasa chuckled nervously as he scratched the back of his head. "Sorry… It's just that…" He lowered his head to avoid her piercing gaze. "You really look nice in that uniform." He was starting to blush but only a little bit. 

Misaki slightly blushed and turned her head away. "Whatever…" She crossed her arms over her chest. "You're just saying that…" 

"But it's true," he said, looking up at her. "Misaki, you look good." He beamed a smile at her. 

When Misaki's face became redder, she lightly punched his arm and narrowed her eyes. "Hmph… I hope you're not just teasing me." But she was very happy to hear a compliment from him. 

"Mikan-sama, you look wonderful!" Kyo said. He was in fan mode again. "Mikuru-chan is the perfect character for you." He placed an arm on her shoulder and stroked her silky hair. After that, he suddenly felt the temperature rising. He looked over at Natsume and sweat dropped at the sight of his vicious crimson eyes. 

Oblivious to Natsume's jealousy, Mikan smiled at Kyo and thanked him for his compliment. Kyo withdrew his arm and stepped away from her in order not to start a fight with Natsume. The flame-caster can get easily jealous. Mikan approached Natsume and pointed a finger at herself. "So, Natsume, what do you think?" She definitely wanted to hear a compliment from him. 

Natsume shrugged. He had to admit that the uniform looked good on his girlfriend, and she was indeed sexy. Glancing at her naked thighs, Natsume remembered the special night they spent in her room. He certainly remembered how he massaged her smooth thighs and how he caressed her body with his hands. He blinked and heaved a sigh. "Not bad…" he said nonchalantly.

It wasn't much of a compliment, but Mikan understood what he was trying to say. Her boyfriend wasn't really good in complimenting. "Thanks, Natsume…" she said before she hugged him. 

Kyo felt a pang of jealousy in his heart, but his smile managed to hide his awful feeling. "Mikan-sama, you might strangle Hyuuga to death." He snickered like a sly fox.

Mikan released her boyfriend and turned back at Kyo. "It's just a hug," she said. "Besides, Natsume likes it whenever I hug him. Right, Natsume?" She turned back at Natsume again and smiled. 

"Whatever…" Natsume rolled his crimson eyes away. 

The other Special Ability students were already in position, and Tsubasa figured that they should get ready as well. "This gig is pretty exciting," he said, planting one hand on his waist. "We have you to thank, Kawashima. You're a real genius." He showed Kyo a thumb up as he grinned widely. 

"It was my pleasure," Kyo replied. "I also wanted everyone to experience what it's like to be an Anime Cosplayer." 

"It's almost time to start," Misaki announced, pulling Tsubasa towards her. "C'mon, we have to get into position." Without giving Tsubasa the chance to respond, she forcefully hauled him away and went into a different room. 

"I'll see ya later, Mikan-sama," Kyo said, winking an eye at the brunette. This sparked jealousy in Natsume again, and Kyo quickly noticed that. He looked at Hyuuga, with an arrogant smirk, and casually saluted him. "Hyuuga, good luck! You're going to need it." After saying that, he left for the other room. 

What did he mean by good luck? Natsume wondered if Kyo was up to something again. He wasn't yet aware of the fact Kyo had already given up his love for Mikan and chose to remain as a fan only. Mikan didn't say a word to him. So, Natsume was still wary of Kyo's actions. 

"I have to go too, Natsume," Mikan said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I won't be off till noon, so why don't you be one of the first ones to try our Cosplay World? Besides, you're already in costume." 

"What are the stupid rules here?" he asked in monotone. 

"The two guys outside will explain it to you." She pushed Natsume towards the exit before she marched over to another door. "Well then…Bye-bye!" She waved her hand and left the room. 

Natsume did help out the Special Ability Class, but he really didn't know what kind of attraction they were planning. If it involved using his girlfriend as a crowd magnet again, then he'll be sure to burn Kyo alive. At least, the costume Mikan was wearing was a lot better than the Cat Costume and the Bunny Outfit. Yet, he had a strange feeling about the Cosplay World. He kept his cool when he stepped out and faced the crowd of students waiting for the attraction to open. The two Special Ability students were busy explaining the rules of the Cosplay World and Natsume silently stood in one corner and listened in as well. 

The rules were fairly simple. Five pairs will enter at the same time. These five pairs will raced against each other in the labyrinth of the cosplay world. Different doors and traps were set up in the labyrinth, and each of them will lead each pair to a peculiar place. For example, one door will lead you to the Village of Konoha, the Hidden Leaf Village of Naruto, and the players will be immediately dressed like ninjas. They will be given a task to complete by the Special Ability students inside and once they've completed it, they could move on to the next level. The Cosplay World was powered by different kinds of Alices of the Special Ability Class, mainly the Reality Warping Alice, the Change Alice and the Hallucination Alice. The players were allowed to use their Alices to complete the task, but they will be disqualified the minute they hurt another player or cheat their way. The first pair to reach the goal will be the winner and they will be awarded with a special prize. On the side note, the pair must be male and female respectively. 

Natsume raised a brow. There was no way he would enter a race wherein he has to pair up with a girl. That would be insane. Plus, if his partner would be one of his fan girls, then he'll be seriously annoyed. Even though Mikan told him to join, he decided not to. 

The other students were very excited to enter. They started to look for their partners and they talked about what kind of costumes they would wear and the prizes they were going to win. The prizes of the Special Ability Class were always good. In the midst of the chattering, Kyo appeared with a microphone in his hand and greeted the students. His dashing looks and cool costume made the most of the girls squealed in delight. 

"Are you guys ready to play in our Cosplay World?!" he asked, and he received a loud 'Yes' from the crowd. "That's great! Oh, by the way, I know you guys are all wondering about the special prize. Well, let me tell you. For our opening day, the first pair who will get to the finish line first will win an all you can eat meal ticket for two at the Sweet Angel Café of the Technical Class." The crowd roared loudly. It was a great prize. The Sweet Angel Café was the most popular and best restaurant in the Technical Class, and one of its finest chefs was Umenomiya Anna, a Triple Star student with the Alice of Cooking. The food was absolutely delicious there. 

Natsume was so not interested in winning a meal ticket—even if the food there was great. But the next thing he heard from Kyo was very surprising. 

"That's not all ladies and gentlemen! For the girls, you can receive a sweet kiss from me or Andou Tsubasa-senpai!" 

The girls screamed out loud. Two of the hottest boys in the Special Ability Class were the prize, and they were more than determined to win it. This was the opportunity of the lifetime. 

"And for the gentlemen," Kyo said slowly to add suspense, as the boys, including Natsume, were all ears. "A sweet kiss from the beautiful Harada Misaki-san and the lovable Sakura Mikan-sama!" With that, the boys cheered out. Kyo knew that the crowd will love the special prizes and he can't wait to see them compete. The moment he stepped inside, he gulped at the sight of Tsubasa, Misaki, Mikan, and Natsume. Misaki and Natsume were incredibly pissed, judging from the look on their faces, while Mikan and Tsubasa stared at him. Though he wondered how those four got to the entrance in just one snap, he decided not to ask anymore. 

"Kawashima!" Misaki began in a loud voice. "You didn't tell us that we were the prizes!" She grabbed Kyo's shirt and pulled him up. Misaki was pretty strong for a girl and violent. 

"I don't mind kissing girls, but I can't let other guys kiss Misaki," Tsubasa said in a carefree tone, which pissed off Misaki even more. 

Of course, she was happy when he said that he can't let other guys kiss her, but she got pretty upset with what he said first. "IDIOT!" She pummeled him so hard and kicked him away. She then glared back at Kyo and shoved a fist towards his face. "You have to do something about this!" 

Kyo sweat dropped. "I can't… The crowd will be disappointed if I change the prizes." True, he had proven a point. 

Natsume lit a flame in his palm. "You better change the prizes, Kawashima," he muttered in a dangerous tone, and Kyo just backed away from him, laughing nervously. 

"Calm down, Natsume," Mikan said, holding his arm. "We can't do anything about it now. Kyo-kun has already announced it to everyone." 

"Mikan's right…" Tsubasa, who miraculously recovered, appeared right behind Misaki. He had his hand on his temple and his eyes closed in embarrassment. "Besides, we're only going to give them a kiss on the cheek, right?" he asked Kyo, but the heterochromatic boy smirked at him. 

"The winners will get to choose," Kyo stated with a finger up. 

Everyone, except Natsume, yelled out "Eh?!" This Cosplay World wasn't going to be much fun for them, since they were the prizes. Fortunately, Tsubasa thought of an idea right away. It would be a great bother for him to see another guy kiss Misaki, and he was sure that Natsume was thinking of the same thing. He hauled Natsume to one corner, much to the lad's protest, and whispered to him his plan. 

"Tch… What a stupid plan…" Natsume muttered as he tapped the racket on his shoulder. He was still dressed up like Ryoma at this point. "But it's worth a shot…" 

Tsubasa grinned widely. "Good. I think I saw Ruka-pyon outside and some of Mikan's friends. Ask them to help out, okay?" He patted Natsume on the head and walked back to his girlfriend. 

Natsume had to urge to burn the shadow manipulator for treating him like a cat. Well, he had no time to waste. Mikan's kiss was on the line, and he needed to put Tsubasa's plan into action, even though he detested listening to the older guy. 

* * *

The first race was about to begin. The rules had already been laid out by the two Special Ability Students who will stand as the guards at the start. Situated right beside them was a huge split-screen monitor, which they burrowed from the Technical Class with a price. The monitor was already split into five sections and the video cameras inside the attraction will monitor the players. The first five pairs were in position at the starting line. Much to people's surprise, the first five pairs were all good friends with Mikan. 

Pair No. 1 was the cheerful double star mind-reader, Kokoroyomi of the Latent Ability Class, and Shouda Sumire, the self-declared president of the Natsume-Ruka Fan Club. Sumire immediately joined when she heard that the female winner can get to kiss either Tsubasa or Kyo. She has the knack of admiring hot and handsome boys. Kokoroyomi entered because it was pretty interesting for him, he always liked having fun, and he thought it would be nice to have the chance to kiss Misaki. He had an innocent crush on Misaki since he was in elementary. He just hoped that his partner would not daydream too much about the kiss or else they will lose miserably. Well, he doesn't really mind if they'll win or lose. Having fun was all that mattered. 

The team of Hibiki Ryou and Kawashima Asuka would be Pair No. 2. Ryou was burning with excitement as he warmed up for the race. He had to thank Kyo for setting up such wonderful prizes. Ryou was already fantasizing himself kissing Mikan. He was going to make sure that he'll win the gold. Mikan's kiss was too good to pass out. His partner wasn't a problem for him. He was fully aware of Asuka's capabilities. Not only was she smart and eccentric, she was also good in sports like Kyo. Asuka wasn't really keen on winning the prizes, but she wanted to do cosplay. She was, after all, an otaku by heart. 

A very unusual team, Pair No. 3 consisted of Hijiri Youichi and Ibaragi Nobara from the Dangerous Ability Class. The crowd was whispering ill-mannered things about them, but they were quickly silenced just by one glare from the cold Youichi, who had turned into a 17-year old lad. He didn't want any other guys to kiss Mikan, other than Natsume, so he decided to join and win the kiss for himself. Nobara was the one watching over him for the day, and when Youichi joined the race, she went along with him as well. The Ghost Manipulator and the Ice Princess as a team was a great combination, few students thought silently. 

Pair No. 4 was the team of Nogi Ruka, the handsome blonde lad of the Somatic Class, and the adorable chef of the Technical Class, Umenomiya Anna. Ruka was more than happy to join the race—even if Natsume didn't ask him. He still liked Mikan after all, and a kiss as a prize wasn't bad at all. Plus, like Youichi, he didn't want other guys to kiss Mikan. And it has been a long time since he had competed against Natsume. On the other hand, Anna was politely asked by Ruka to join, and since she thought that the Cosplay World was fun she agreed to be Ruka's partner. 

Last but not the least; Pair No. 5 was none other than the team of Hyuuga Natsume, the Special Star flame-caster, and the talented Triple Star Chemist, Ogosawara Nonoko. Natsume had only one goal in mind, and it was to prevent other guys from reaching his Mikan. He got seriously annoyed when Ryou confidently stated that he was going to win Mikan's kiss. Yeah, right, as if Natsume will ever let him. Not a chance! Nonoko didn't expect Natsume to be her partner. At first, she thought she was going to be paired up with Ruka or Kokoroyomi, so she was so surprised when it turned out to be Natsume. Though she was pretty wary of Natsume, she was still going to do her best in the race. And she was also aiming for the kiss prize. 

"We have a very interesting line-up here, ladies and gentleman!" the one clad in a Hunter outfit said. "I wonder who will win." 

Seriously, many people were already betting and some of the students used their Alices to see into the future. The five pairs were told to get ready, as the student in the Samurai Costume pulled out the popper gun from his sleeve. 

Ryou raked his dark hair with his hands and faced his crowd of fan girls with a handsome smile. "Wish me luck, girls!" He waved his hand at them, and the girls just screamed out his name in admiration and bid him good luck. 

"This is going to be fun," Kokoroyomi said, turning to his partner. "Isn't that right, curly permy?" He let out a light chuckle. 

Sumire shot him a glare and clenched her fists. "Who are you calling PERMY?!" Her voice was vicious, yet it wasn't enough to intimidate Kokoroyomi. The young lad merely laughed at her and called her 'Permy' once more. 

Nobara placed a clenched hand over her mouth. "I hope I don't mess up…" she muttered, her knees trembling. Although she was a skilled Alice-user and one of the best student operative in the Academy, Nobara was still a shy and fragile girl who was prone to mistakes and anxiety. "You-chan, let's do our best…" 

"Just don't get in my way," Youichi coldly replied without even looking at her. He had his hands inside his pockets and his emotionless eyes were fixed on the entrance. "And try to keep up…" 

If she were to translate what Youichi said, then what he really meant to say was 'Good Luck'. Youichi wasn't that good in showing emotions, just like Natsume. 

Anna gave her best friend a cheerful smile. "Nonoko-chan, do your best, okay?" She placed a hand on Nonoko's shoulder and leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "This is your chance. If you win, you can get to kiss him…" She then pulled away and giggled. 

"Um…I don't know…" Nonoko was blushing hard. "I'm not sure if I can win…" She fiddled with her fingers as she let out an awkward laugh. 

"With Natsume-kun as your partner, I'm sure you'll do just fine," Anna said, but Nonoko looked more dispirited. From the sound of Nonoko's deep sigh, Anna could tell that her best friend was a little afraid of Natsume. Even so, Anna encouraged her to do her best and focus on her goal. 

Nonoko smiled at the pink-haired girl. "Thanks, Anna-chan…" 

Suddenly, the two girls felt extreme auras coming from behind them. They turned around only to see the best friends, Ruka and Natsume, having a silent staring contest. Though they remained perfectly composed, the two girls felt like something was burning within them. It was like they were on fire. 

"I will not lose," Ruka said, throwing the raven-haired flame caster a significant look. 

"You may have won a race before, but I won't let you win this one," Natsume said, his voice icy cold as ever. He spun on his heels and walked away, and the blonde boy just heaved a sigh and inwardly smiled. Natsume was very determined to win, and Ruka could see that. 

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: The race is going to start in the next chapter. Find out who will win and who will get to kiss who! The Cosplay World is another crazy idea that I came up with from watching too much cosplay events. I wanted everyone to do cosplay. Kyo is such a sly one. He planned this out not to help out the fan boys, but to make things more interesting. Please review and no flaming. 


	14. Aim for the Price, a Sweet Kiss

JC: The chapter of the big race. Who will win in the end? This is so exciting. I had a fun time writing this and I tried to make some parts funny. I don't think I'm good in writing funny stuff, but I still try and get inspirations from books. You will also encounter so many anime references here. The kiss is on the line. Our five pairs are going to battle hard to reach the goal. 

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice or any of the series that are mentioned in the story. I only own Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 14: Aim for the Price, a Sweet Kiss 

Pair no. 5, the team of Hyuuga Natsume and Ogasawara Nonoko, charged through the hallways of Seishun Academy. Seishun Academy was a private school famous for its strong tennis club and talented players from the series, Prince of Tennis. The setting was very convenient for Natsume since he was already in his 'Echizen Ryoma' tennis outfit. The moment he and Nonoko opened the starting door, they were immediately transported to the rooftop of the said school. Nonoko's uniform had also changed into the Seishun Academy school uniform for girls and her hair was braided in two low-pigtails, making her cosplay as 'Ryuuzaki Sakuno'. 

The two of them left the school building and went to the tennis courts where they saw a Special Ability high school student cosplaying as Atobe Keigo. Except for his pale-violet hair, his hairstyle and facial features were similar to Atobe. When he saw the pair, he grabbed his tennis racquet from the bench and pointed it at them. "Welcome to your first challenge!" he said in an Atobe-like manner. 

"What kind of challenge are we going to do?" Nonoko asked. She was a bit worried, because she doesn't have any skills in tennis. She was a chemist and has devoted most of her time doing experiments and creating medicines. 

"The challenge is this!" The Atobe look-alike snapped his fingers, and all of a sudden a tennis ball appeared in his hand. "We're going to have a little tennis match. To clear this challenge, one of you has to beat me." 

Natsume gripped his racquet tight and held the tip of his cap. "I'll go against you," he said seriously. 

"Eh? Natsume-kun, are you sure?" Nonoko said. 

Natsume didn't reply and took his position on the court. He wasn't an expert tennis player, but he was confident in his skills. Thinking about the sport made him think of Mikan. She was always athletic and could learn any kind of sport easily. Her overly energetic personality was just the right thing for sports. He would like to smile at the thought, but he stayed serious before his opponent, who was smirking arrogantly at him. 

"So, I'm going against Hyuuga, huh?" the high school student muttered as he starting bouncing the tennis ball with his racquet. "I should warn you, Hyuuga…I'm a pro in tennis." 

"Like I care," Natsume retorted. "Are we going to start or what?" He was getting impatient. He wanted to go through the race as quickly as possible and win the prize before anyone else. 

"Good luck, Natsume-kun," Nonoko said, and as expected Natsume just ignored her. Nonoko understood his desire to win, and she was feeling the same way. She wanted to win the kiss prize as well. Just thinking about it made her blush. Shaking the awkward thoughts away, she motioned over to the bench and sat down. 

The players were all set. Natsume held a very stoic expression on his face, while the Atobe look-alike seemed so calm and confident. The latter served the ball with great impact. The tennis ball flew past the flame-caster before he could even blink. "15-Love…" Of course, Natsume was surprised by this, but he maintained his stoic face. Then the Atobe look-alike raked his fingers through his hair and looked at Natsume. "Be awed at the sight of my prowess!" he muttered the most famous line of Atobe from the series. 

Natsume gritted his teeth. The older student was going to be tough to beat, but he had no intentions of losing. He'll try and try until he'll succeed. 

Atobe served the ball again, and Natsume managed to return it. "Good job…" he said as he ran towards the ball. "But not good enough!" He returned the ball fast that Natsume wasn't able to catch it. He wasn't kidding when he said he was a pro. 

"Damn it…" Natsume cursed under his breath. 

"That's 30-Love, Hyuuga…" Atobe chuckled and snapped his fingers again. "Honestly, I'm rooting for Hibiki Ryou since I'm also in Mikan-chan's fan club. You're pretty unlucky to face me first. I'll make you lose here and now, Hyuuga." 

The guy was in his girlfriend's fan club. No wonder he felt a certain degree of irritation. Natsume wanted to burn him with his Alice, but the rules clearly stated that the players were not allowed to hurt others during the race. Suddenly, Natsume thought of an idea. He can't use his Alice to hurt the tennis guy, but he can use his Alice for other means. 

"Get ready for my awesome serve again, Hyuuga," Atobe said, bouncing the ball up and down. He served the ball towards the other court, and Natsume managed to return it with ease. "Predictable!" The ball was heading towards him, and he could easily return it back to Natsume. He swung his racquet, and at this time, Natsume used his Alice to set the ball to fire. Atobe's eyes grew wide in an instant, surprised to see a fireball hauling towards him. He hit the ball with his racquet, but the fire burned through the strings and went straight to the ground. 

"30-15," Natsume announced casually. He finally scored a point. 

Nonoko clapped her hands in delight. "That was great!" she said, though the fire thing was kind of unfair for the game. Still, she was rooting for her partner. 

Atobe threw away his racquet. "Not bad, even though it was a cheap trick. The rules did say that you can use your Alice to help you out." He heaved a sigh as he snapped his fingers. "But I'm far from over, Hyuuga. I won't take it easy on you." Another tennis racquet appeared in his hand. He served the ball, with great strength, only to have it returned by Natsume. However, that was what Atobe was waiting for. He performed the 'Rondo towards Destruction', which knocked the tennis racquet out of Natsume's hand. The 'Rondo towards Destruction' was a powerful two-part smash requiring a lot of control on the ball. The first smash hit the wrist and knocked the racquet out of the opponent's hand. As the ball bounced up from the force of impact, Atobe smashed it once again at the court and scored the point.

"Oh no…" Nonoko gasped. The ball had hit Natsume's wrist and he seemed to be in pain. Was that even allowed in tennis? She didn't know if she should complain about it or stay put. She had no knowledge when it comes to tennis, but she wanted to do something for her partner. 

"Rondo towards Destruction…" Natsume knew that technique, because he had read the Prince of Tennis Manga before. That technique can be overcome, he thought silently, and he knew exactly what to do the next time Atobe will use it. 

"The score is 40-15, Hyuuga," Atobe said. "I only need one more point to win then its game over for you." 

"I'm not going to lose…" 

"What a cocky bastard…" Atobe placed his fingers between his eyes and laughed out like a madman. "I'm going to beat you to a pulp." He threw the ball into the air and hit it at full force. The ball charged towards Natsume like a rocket. 

Natsume returned the ball and quickly stepped back to prepare for the 'Rondo towards Destruction'. He had to get the trick right or else he will lose. Atobe smashed the ball hard, and Natsume quickly slid the racquet down to get a better grip before the ball hit his wrist. Thus, the racquet still remained in his hand, much to Atobe's surprise. It was a good thing he read the manga. Atobe became irritated and smashed the ball when it went back. Natsume had managed to hit the ball and scored a point. "That's 40-30…" he muttered. 

"Amazing…" Nonoko cheered softly. She never knew that Tennis could be so exciting. 

"I didn't expect you to use that move…" Atobe said as his face darkened. "So, you're watching Prince of Tennis, huh?" 

"Read the manga…" was Natsume's nonchalant reply. 

Atobe shrugged. "Hmph…Bastard…" He prepared to serve again as he focused his sight on Natsume. "Take this!" He served the ball, and Natsume returned it with ease. From this point, the two tennis players kept on returning the ball and the ball just went back and forth. It was clear that none of them was willing to give up. 

The game was taking too much time, and the race was still on. Natsume realized that Atobe wasn't playing to win anymore, but playing for time. Atobe was delaying Natsume so he will lose the race. Natsume's wasn't going to prolong the game any further. Once his racquet made contact with the ball, he set it on fire. 

"What the hell?!" Atobe ducked his head just in time to avoid the blazing ball. And when it was out of the court, he straightened up and shot the raven-haired lad a glare. "You moron! What the hell were you thinking with that stupid head of yours? If I got hurt, you would have been disqualified!" 

Natsume rolled his eyes away and let out a grunt. "It's 40-40 now…." He slipped one hand into his pocket and tapped his shoulder with the racquet. "A deuce…" 

The Atobe look-alike gritted his teeth and threw his racquet aside. "I can't believe you tied up with me," he said, waving his hand in a dismissive manner. "Well, I can't do anything about it now." He snapped his fingers and a door appeared at the middle of the tennis court. 

"Wait a minute…" Nonoko stood up from the bench. "Is the match over? I thought it was a tie." 

"Yeah…" Atobe tapped his chin with his two fingers and smiled handsomely at Nonoko. "But you two can go." 

Nonoko raised a curious brow. "I thought we could only advance to the next level if we beat the challenge." And Natsume was thinking of the same thing. 

Atobe nodded his head. "True…" He spun around and walked towards the bench to get his bottle of water. "By dumb luck and recklessness, Hyuuga managed to tie the scores with me. Being able to go so far against a pro like me is good enough. Don't get me wrong, Hyuuga. I still hate you." 

Natsume narrowed his crimson eyes at him. "The feeling is the same," he grunted. 

"You're done here." Atobe sipped some water before turning to the pair. "The next challenge is right behind that door. Better hurry before I change my mind." 

"Um…okay!" Nonoko said in a panicky voice. "Let's go, Natsume-kun." She opened the door and went right in, and Natsume followed after her. In less than five seconds, they were brought into another world, clad in a different costume. 

* * *

The other pairs had done a great job in their first challenge. Though some of them found it difficult to overcome, they cooperated well and used their Alices to their advantage. Sumire and Kokoroyomi, the Pair No. 1, had just finished their challenge in the 'Tsuyokiss' world. Sumire was dressed up in the sailor-type summer uniform, and she went up against the Special Ability student cosplaying as 'Kiriya Erika', the blonde student council president who is nicknamed _Hime, _meaning princess, by her peers. All Sumire had to do was to defeat her in a dodge ball game of death. Kokoroyomi, who was cosplaying as 'Tsushima Leo' by the way, wanted to play the challenge, but Sumire immediately butted in and faced the Erika-cosplayer. It was a tough battle, but due to Sumire's perseverance and her Cat-Dog Alice, she managed to win the game. Kokoroyomi had fun watching her and even congratulated her in a goofy way. 

Pair No. 2 was currently in the lead. Ryou and Asuka sure weren't wasting any time. The two were working perfectly with one another. Their first challenge was a two-on-two basketball game against two Special Ability students dressed up as Shohoku players from 'Slam Dunk'. Clad in their white basketball uniform, Ryou and Asuka immediately scored points and won the game in less than seven minutes. The second challenge had taken place in the Digital World. All they had to do was to beat some evil Digimon and make their digimon partners digivolve to champion-level. Once they were done, they quickly moved on to the next level. 

The Dangerous Ability students, Nobara and Youichi, were facing Orc Zombies in the world of Rune Midgard—the world in Ragnarok Online RPG. Nobara was cosplaying as a High Wizard, which was perfect for her Ice Alice, and Youichi was a Ninja class character. His sharp skills and athletic ability allowed him to administer his ninja weapons properly, despite being a 7-year old who had just grown into a 17-year old. Training with your ability class has its perks after all. Youichi handled the close combat, while Nobara used her Ice Alice to attack from a distance. The two of them were really a perfect team—even if they rarely interact. 

The first challenge was fairly easy for Pair No. 4, the team of Ruka and Anna. Truth to be known, Anna did the challenge all by herself. She and Ruka were dressed up as bakers just like in 'Yakitate Japan'. The Special Ability student cosplaying as 'Azuma Kazuma' was administering the challenge and he had presented them with two breads. The task was to differentiate which bread was used with margarine. Anna, being the talented cook, was able to tell just by one bite from the two breads. Ruka was impressed with her. 

The remaining challenges were either easy or hard, but the pairs were capable enough to overcome them. As each pair reached their fifth and final challenge, they were more than ready to wing it and claim the prize. 

Natsume and Nonoko had been transported to the High School of Suzumiya Haruhi. They were in a classroom setting, with all the chairs and desks moved to the sides. The two of them were wearing the school uniforms of the school, and Nonoko looked pretty cute as she cosplayed as 'Asakura Ryouko'. The administrators for their challenge appeared before them and greeted them with warm smiles. They were none other than Mikan and Misaki. 

"Welcome to your last challenge, Natsume, Nonoko-chan!" The Mikuru-cosplayer, Mikan, beamed at them. She didn't expect that her boyfriend would end up taking the Haruhi-challenge last, but she was happy that he has gone so far. But she wasn't so sure if Natsume would like the challenge. 

"Mikan-chan and senpai are so cute," Nonoko said sweetly, placing a hand on her cheek. 

"Thanks…But you look cute too, Nonoko-chan!" Mikan replied. "And, Natsume, I think the uniform suits you." 

Nonoko simply blushed at the compliment as Natsume rolled his eyes away. 

"You two are amazing," Misaki said, flipping her hair aside just like what Haruhi would do. She was most impressed that Nonoko was able to keep up with Natsume despite his no-nonsense attitude. "I hope you guys ready." She was itching to see Natsume do the challenge. It would be a real laugh for her. 

"Your challenge is…" Mikan announced, raising her fist up high, "to dance the Hare Hare Yukai!!" And when she said that, Nonoko gave a questionable look and Natsume raised his eyebrow. Mikan cleared her throat and explained to the two about the Hare Hare Yukai Dance. She and Misaki will give them a demonstration of the dance twice, and in order to beat the challenge, Natsume and Nonoko will have to perform the dance. The dance doesn't have to be perfect; it only needs to be done properly. 

Dancing? The challenge was to dance? Natsume raked his fingers through his raven hair. He had zero talent when it comes to performing in front of other people or on stage. Acting? He couldn't even meow a cat's line properly. Playing musical instruments? He was so bad at it. Dancing? He doesn't' do dancing. His last challenge had to be dancing. He preferred slaying monsters and cooking rather than dancing. 

"Sounds fun!" Nonoko chirped, clapping her hands in delight.

"We'll start dancing!" Mikan said, winking an eye at Natsume. 

"And you start watching!" Misaki said. 

The Hare Hare Yukai song had started and the two beautiful cosplayers were dancing to the beat. They were in perfect rhythm and their bodies swayed gracefully to the music. Not only were they dancing, they were also singing the song with their own voices. Both of them had wonderful voices, and it was very entertaining to watch them. The students watching them from the screen were awed by their performance and beauty, as Natsume and Nonoko observed their movements carefully. Of course, Natsume was also admiring his girlfriend at the same time, but he was still cursing the dance. Misaki and Mikan performed the dance again for Nonoko and Natsume, so they would get it right. 

When they were done, Mikan approached Natsume and held his arm. "Time for you to dance," she said, smiling brightly at him, and Natsume just shrugged. He was so not in the mood to dance. "C'mon, Natsume, there's no turning back. You made it this far with Nonoko-chan." 

Misaki crossed her arms over her chest. "Natsume-kun, Nonoko-chan, you two will have to dance once the music starts." She noticed the reluctant and annoyed look on Natsume's face and thought of something that would encourage him to dance. "If you don't do this, then the other teams are going to beat you. Tsubasa had just informed me that Hibiki-kun and Kawashima-san are almost done with their challenge." She was telling the truth. Pair No. 2 was currently doing the Bleach-challenge, with Tsubasa handling them, and they were doing well. Tsubasa had informed Misaki with the use of the mini-microphone and speaker attached to her.

Natsume clenched his fists. The mere mention of Ryou's name lit up the fire in his eyes. He can't let that fan boy get a kiss from Mikan. "Fine then…" he muttered under his breath. 

Nonoko was more than ready to dance. If she wins the challenge, then she gets to kiss a certain someone whom she has been crushing on. 

The music started and the dancing began. Honestly, Natsume was dancing like a robot, more like 'Kyon' in the series. On the other hand, Nonoko was dancing cheerfully and gracefully as expected. Mikan cheered them on, and Misaki couldn't help giggling at Natsume's movements. And when the performance was done, majority of the students started laughing out loud. They couldn't believe that the Black Cat of the academy had just danced the Hare Hare Yuka dance. It was hilarious. The crowd laughed at Natsume, some were awed, and the others cheered for Nonoko. 

"That was great! You guys did a good job!" Mikan said, bouncing up and down. "And I can't believe Natsume just danced!" 

Misaki held her temple and shook her head. "I can't believe it either…" She stifled a laugh before she snapped her fingers. "You guys are done. Now you only have to race to the finish line to win." A door magically appeared in front of the two and opened by itself. 

"I'll see you at the finish line, Natsume," Mikan said, waving her hand at him. 

Taking one more look at Mikan, Natsume felt more enthusiastic about winning. His girlfriend was not allowed to kiss any other guy, and that was his possessiveness talking. He doesn't even let her peck on the cheek with Tsubasa or Ruka. Youichi was fine since he was still a kid, but it irritates him when Youchi clings so much to her when he's in his older form. As Natsume went inside the door, along with Nonoko, they immediately appeared on a track field. 

"Our clothes have changed, Natsume-kun," Nonoko said, taking a good look at her attire. She was wearing blue and white running outfit, and her dark-blue straight hair was tied in a ponytail. She glanced at Natsume and took note of his running outfit with the same colors as hers. 

"AH! HYUUGA!" a loud voice suddenly shouted. 

Nonoko and Natsume turned to the direction of the voice and saw Ryou and Asuka wearing green and white running outfits. Natsume glared at the fan boy, feeling more determined to defeat Ryou. But it will be tough. Ryou and Asuka were athletically inclined. He wasn't sure if Nonoko could keep up with him during the race. 

"I'm gonna beat you for sure," Ryou said, smirking arrogantly, and he suddenly got whacked by a paper fan. "Ouch! What was that for?" He shot Asuka a glare, but Asuka merely pummeled him with the paper fan again. 

"Quit yapping and start running!" Asuka put away the paper fan and ran off, leaving Ryou to bite the dust. 

"Ah! Wait up!" Ryou stuck his tongue out at Natsume before he dashed off in a nerve-wrecking speed to catch up to Asuka. 

Natsume gritted his teeth. He shouldn't lose to them. He turned to Nonoko and grabbed her wrist. "Run as fast as you can," he said in a very intimidating voice. His crimson eyes were like burning holes in her, and Nonoko just stared at him with fear in her eyes. "And don't even think about stopping or tripping…" Without giving the young chemist the chance to reply, he ran off, hauling her with him. 

The rules did say that you can use your Alice to help you out, and so when Natsume and Nonoko caught up with Asuka and Ryou, Natsume used his Alice to create a fire wall around them. He got a few curses from Ryou, but he didn't care. All he cared about was winning the prize. He zoomed past them, pulling Nonoko with him, and this time he was the one who stuck out his tongue at Ryou. 

"THAT BASTARD!" Ryou stomped his foot on the track continuously. "That good-for-nothing Hyuuga!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, which got Asuka irritated. 

"Oh, shut up!" Asuka whacked him once again with her trusty paper fan. "Gosh, you're so stupid, Ryou." She pulled out water stone from her pocket and used its power to summon water from the ground. In almost an instant the fire was extinguished by the water. The stone was one of her Alice creations again. 

"Wow…" Ryou stared at her in amazement. "Good thinking, Asuka-san…" 

Asuka let out a frustrating groan. "C'mon… We still have a race." 

Ryou nodded his head. "Let's win this!" Without further ado, they dashed through the track like a pair of cheetahs. It didn't take them long to catch up with Natsume and Nonoko. "There you are, you bastard!" Ryou picked up speed even more to go side by side with Natsume. 

"You're an eyesore as always…" Natsume said nonchalantly. 

"And you're a moron!" Ryou retorted. He wanted to utter more insults at Natsume, but Asuka, who was already running by his side, smacked him again with the paper fan. "Can you stop doing that?!" 

Asuka's heterochromatic eyes turned evil. "Then stop fighting with Hyuuga!" she yelled out. "In case you haven't notice, we're almost at the finish line. If you don't do this seriously, we're going to lose." She wasn't actually playing to win, but she would love to see the look on Natsume's face when Ryou claims a kiss from Mikan. She was such a sly devil.

"Whatever…" Ryou muttered and picked up the speed. He past Natsume quite easily, along with Asuka, and the finish line was near. Ryou and Asuka were confident that they would win, because Natsume has Nonoko to drag along with him. 

Nonoko felt sad. She knew that she was holding Natsume back and she wished she could do something about it. She wanted to win too. She was running with all her might, as Natsume held her wrist. And then an idea struck her. "I hope it's here…" She searched her pockets with her free hand and pulled out two vials containing black liquid. "Natsume-kun, throw this at them quick." She handed the vials to Natsume. 

"And what are these?" he asked coldly. 

Nonoko didn't have time to explain, so she just urged Natsume to throw the vials at Ryou and Asuka. "Um… Hibiki-kun, Kawashima-senpai!" Nonoko yelled out loud, which got their attentions right away. 

Natsume lobbed the small vials towards them, and when they hit the ground, thick heavy black smoke was produced. At that point, Natsume immediately realized Nonoko's plan. The smoke disturbed Asuka's and Ryou's eyesight as well as their breathing. Since they couldn't move properly, Natsume and Nonoko took the chance and ran past them. Players were allowed to use their Alices, and technically the liquid in the vials were created by Nonoko's Alice.

"What is this? Argh!" Ryou said between his coughs. 

"I can't see anything in this smoke," Asuka said, closing her eyes in dismay. "Damn it…" She moved around and managed to step on Ryou's foot. 

"OUCH!" Ryou shouted. "Watch where you're going!" He was scolding her yet he can't see her. 

"It's not my fault if I can't see," Asuka replied. She took several steps backward and got out of the smoke. She sighed in relief as she wiped some beads of sweat off her temple. Just then, she heard running footsteps. She turned around only to see another pair catching up. She stayed calm as she turned to the smoke again. _Ryou is still in there, huh? That moron… Well, we're going to lose in this rate. Not that I care though… _When the pair ran past her, she just winked an eye at them and told them good luck. 

Natsume and Nonoko were almost at the finishing line. Natsume was confident he was going to win and claim the prize. He wasn't the type of guy to enjoy that kind of event, but the prize made him excited. But all his excitement went down the drain when his feet got frozen in solid ice. 

"What is this?!" Nonoko gasped. She, too, had both of her feet frozen solid. "So cold…" She slightly shivered. 

Taking a moment to look down at the ice, Natsume could only think of one person. 

"Simply not there yet, Onii-chan…" 

Natsume lifted his chin at the sound of the cold yet familiar voice. Peering over his shoulders, he saw his fellow classmates of the Dangerous Ability Class, Youichi and Nobara. They were riding on a snowboard made of ice, wearing silver and white running outfit. Nobara had her arms wrapped around Youichi's waist. The force pushing the board to move were the ghosts that Youichi summoned. Natsume didn't have time to react because they moved past him in high speed. 

"Oh no!" Nonoko said as her knees trembled due to the cold. "They're going to win." 

Almost instantly, Natsume melted the ice with his fire. "Let's hurry…" he said seriously. He started running and pulling Nonoko again. Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough to catch Youichi and Nobara. Thus, Natsume and Nonoko lost the race. Natsume released Nonoko's wrist and lowered his head to the point his bangs covered his eyes. He can't believe he just lost to Youichi, his junior. 

* * *

"And we have a winner, ladies and gentleman!" The Special Ability student dressed up as a hunter announced to the whole audience about the wonderful performance and victory of the Dangerous Pair, Hijiri Youichi and Ibaragi Nobara. The crowd would normally be scared of them, but they were cheering for them this time. It's not everyday you see a 7-year old kid and a shy girl win such an intense race against other formidable pairs. 

The Winners stood beside the announcer, while the other pairs were standing at the sidelines. On the other hand, the prizes— the people with their kisses on the line—were standing at the opposite side of the announcer. During the race, before Youichi and Nobara crossed the finish lines, Pair No. 4 and Pair No. 1 were still busy doing their final challenge. As for Pair No. 5 and Pair No. 1, they got into trouble with ice and smoke. When the winning pair finished the race, the remaining pairs were immediately transported out of the Cosplay World. They were back to wearing their school uniforms again. 

Ryou kept on grumbling unnecessary curses. He was a little happy at the fact that Natsume didn't win, but he was still sore because a kid beat him. 

Asuka cleared her throat. "Uh, Ryou, you're acting like a child." 

"I don't care…" 

Not having the will to smack him, she shifted her gaze from him to the winning pair. "Hijiri Youichi-kun and Ibaragi Nobara-san…" She placed a finger on her cheek and tilted her head a little to the side. "An unlikely pair, yet they're so strong…" 

"As said before, the winners for today's race will receive a meal ticket and a kiss!" the announcer said, and the crowd went wilder than before. He approached the Ice Princess first and held the microphone for her. "So, Ibaragi-san, who will you choose? Will it be Andou Tsubasa or Kawashima Kyo?" 

Nobara lowered her head and fiddled with her fingers. She was being shy again. She hadn't thought about the prize at all during the race and she couldn't come up with a decision right away. Absentmindedly, she answered, "Mikan-chan!" and buried her face in her palms. 

The announcer scratched the back of his head. "Eh? You want Mikan-sama?" 

"Um…Yeah..." Nobara timidly said. 

"But you must choose a guy, Ibaragi-san…" the announcer said with a sweat-drop. "You're a girl after all." 

She understood what he was trying to say, but she didn't want to kiss Tsubasa or Kyo. She wasn't interested in them and she felt so nervous about it. "Mikan-chan is fine…" she said. 

The announcer was going to say something until Mikan took a step forward and said, "Its okay." She approached Nobara and removed her palms from her face. "Nobara-chan, congratulations." Mikan leaned forward and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. The kiss was nothing more than a simple kiss between close friends. 

Nobara's face flushed red in an instant. "Mikan-chan…um…thanks…" she said, her lips curving into a bashful smile. 

"You're welcome, Nobara-chan," Mikan said, smiling back at her. 

The announcer moved on to the 7-year Youichi and asked him if he wanted to kiss Misaki or Mikan. 

Youichi wasted no time in giving an answer. "Mikan-onee-chan…" He shot the announcer a stern look. He may be a kid, but he had dangerous aura flowing within him. 

"I knew it…" Ruka muttered with a small giggle. "He really likes Mikan, right, Natsume?" 

Natsume had his arms crossed over his chest. He gave no more than a shrug as a reply. He was well-aware of Youichi's innocent crush on Mikan. An innocent crush was no threat to him. And Youichi was his junior and the mini-version of him, so he wasn't worried about getting jealous. 

"You-chan, you did great in the race." Mikan knelt down to his level and patted his head. "I'm really impressed." She failed to realize that her first class smile was setting Youichi's heart in motion. 

Youichi maintained a calm façade, even though his heart was pumping madly. For a 7-year old boy with a crush on an older girl, he sure wasn't naïve like the rest of the children. Aside from not letting other guys kiss Mikan, his goal was to win as well. It was nice to beat Natsume once in a while. He turned his head to Natsume and smirked, making Natsume wonder what he was up to. When Youichi looked up at Mikan, he transformed into a 17-year old boy. "Where's my prize?" he asked the brunette. 

"You don't have to change, You-chan," Mikan said. It would be quite awkward to kiss Youichi's 17-year old form. Kissing a child was much more comfortable. 

"Tch…Just get over with it," Youichi muttered impatiently. 

"Okay…" Mikan had to stand on her toes since Youichi was taller than her now. She was about to give him a kiss on the cheek when a bouncing pink ball appeared all of the sudden and hit Youichi's face. The impact caused the young boy to turn his head. Therefore, Mikan accidentally landed a kiss on his lips. 

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: Mikan kissed Youichi on the lips! I intended to let Youichi and Nobara win the race in the first place, but the kissing idea just came out towards the end. How will Natsume react to that? Will he get jealous over Youichi? The fan boys would go ballistic for sure. In this chapter, you can already guess who Nonoko's crush is. She'll have a little moment with him in the next chapter. Remember Sugita Aya? She'll make her appearance again in the next chapter too. There will be Natsume and Mikan moments in the next chapter. Please review. No flaming. 


	15. Innocent Feelings

JC: Rest assured, Natsume's not going to kill Youichi. He's not that stupid to do that. Youichi is just a kid, but he's so damn lucky. Little Youichi got the change to kiss cute and innocent Mikan-chan! I, for one, think it was such a cute yet funny moment. I know you guys are all waiting for Natsume's reaction. As promised, Sugita Aya will be featured in this chapter and a little moment between Kyo and Nonoko.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 15: Innocent Feelings

Everyone was surprisingly struck with companionable silence. The announcer dressed up as a hunter dropped his microphone, while Tsubasa and Misaki placed a hand against their temples. Kyo took a step backward, ruffling his hair in dismay. The crowd and the ones who participated in the race sported a dumbfounded look on their faces. It was such a shock to witness an accidental kiss between the young 7-year old Youichi, who was in his 17-year old form, and the campus sweetheart, Sakura Mikan. Everyone knew that the only guy who can kiss her lips was none other than her current boyfriend, Hyuuga Natsume. At the moment, even Natsume was having difficulty grasping reality. The kiss was so unexpected and it happened just because of a stupid pink ball that came out of nowhere.

The two victims were so surprised with the turn of event that for a moment they didn't even budge. Their kiss lasted for about ten seconds before they pulled away from each other. They panted hard and their faces were clearly as red as tomatoes. It wasn't something new to Mikan, but it was a different case for Youichi.

The pokerfaced young lad touched his lips, thinking about the kiss, his first kiss. He had to admit that it felt good to kiss Mikan. Her lips were really soft. Because of that, he kind of understood why Natsume liked kissing her so much. With luscious lips like that, no guy can ever resist it. Damn. He was seriously not thinking like a kid at that point. To be honest, he was afraid that he probably got Natsume mad. Sure, he was a bit mature for his age, but he was still seven. He reverted back to his original form and turned back at Mikan. Strangely, he found it hard to look at her eyes.

Mikan was smiling genuinely at him as she leaned down to pat his head. It was a big shock for her to kiss him, but she mustn't ponder about it. Making a big fuss over it would only fret the little guy. As the older one, she had to act maturely for him and let him know that everything was all right. "Don't mind, You-chan!" she said in a cheerful tone. "It was an accident."

His façade almost slipped when he looked up at her. "Onee-chan…"

"You got your prize, You-chan," Mikan said, winking an eye at him. She turned to the audience and raised Youichi's hand. "Everyone, please give a round of applause to the winners!"

By the sound of her voice, everyone snapped back to reality and cheered out loud. The Mikan fan boys were a little furious about Youichi, but they had no plans of bullying him since he's just a kid.

Ruka glanced at his best friend, feeling the tension brewing in him. "Hey, you still okay, Natsume?" he asked, almost certain that he'll shot him a glare or something.

"Tch…This is annoying," Natsume grunted. Indeed, his brain almost went out of control when he witnessed the kiss. He had to remind himself Youichi was still a kid a couple of times to calm himself down. He was really possessive when it comes to Mikan.

"In the Alice Festival, you should really expect the unexpected," Tsubasa said, crossing his arms over his chest. "But I didn't expect something interesting to happen on the first day."

Misaki nodded her head. "Yeah…Totally unexpected…" She let out a sigh. Then she noticed a pink ball beside her foot. She picked it up and noticed that it was the same ball that hit Mikan earlier. "Hey, who do you think owns it?" She examined the balls for any labels or names but found none.

"Whoever threw it will get in big trouble with a certain Black Cat," Tsubasa said, taking a brief glance at Natsume. He snickered like a sly fox.

* * *

The whole morning was fun for Mikan. She had cosplayed different kinds of characters and administered challenges for players. Her personal favorite were Asashina Mikuru, Card Captor Sakura, Sakuno Ryuuzaki, and Nanami Lucia. Her costumes and charms were a real crowd magnet. She may not realize it, but most of her fan boys kept on coming back for the race. The prize was still the kiss, but the challenges had gotten more difficult. Tsubasa and Misaki assured her that no one could win if the Special Ability students get serious. Misaki had personally ordered the class not to let anyone win. Misaki didn't like being the prize and all. Mikan understood her senior's intention well.

She changed back into her school uniform at 12 o'clock, after her shift, and then in a rush, she walked out of the dressing room to find her boyfriend. After a few minutes of searching, she found him sleeping under a tree with a manga over his face. Typical of Natsume, she thought. She sat down right beside him and carefully removed the manga off his face. "Natsume, it's lunch time," she said. "Let's grab a bite to eat."

The raven-haired lad shrugged before he opened his eyes. He gazed upon his girlfriend's angelic face and sat up. "What took you so long?" he asked, rubbing his head in the process. "I was dying of boredom."

"Sorry to make you wait," she replied as she closed the manga. The front cover of the manga had a picture of a Spirit Manipulator and it reminded her of Youichi. "I've never seen Youichi blushed like that before." The young boy, as she had observed for the past few years, was always seen with a calm and cool expression. He rarely smiled or showed emotions.

Natsume's eyebrows twitched. The mere mention of Youichi's name fueled his jealousy again. He recalled the kiss incident again, which he tried so hard to forget, and it made his stomach churned. "The kiss…" he muttered under his breath. "You're his first kiss…"

"I know…" Her voice was soft when she said that. She brought her knees closer to her chest and placed her arms on them. "The kiss was kinda sweet. It's okay since it was only Youichi." She smiled at the thought of him.

Natsume felt his heart tighten. Mikan gave him the whole silent and awkward treatment when he forced a kiss on her during the Christmas Party four years ago. He had to tease her just to get her attention again. And yet, she was okay with her accidental kiss with Youichi. She didn't make a fuss about it or treat Youichi indifferently. He knew that he shouldn't feel green towards his junior, but he couldn't help himself. "So, you're saying that you like the kiss?" His tone was unquestionably dangerous.

"Eh?" Mikan let out a nervous chuckle. "It was just a harmless kiss on the lips. I'm not sure if I liked it or not. A kiss with Youichi was…"

Without giving her the chance to continue, Natsume ruthlessly pinned her to the ground and crashed his lips against hers. He felt the need to do that just to calm him down and to satisfy his uneasy heart. Being obsessed with her, Natsume didn't want other guys touching his girlfriend, let alone kissing her. Youichi may be a kid, but he was still a guy. Bearing that in mind, Natsume grew bitter and bitter. He had to wipe off the traces of Youichi from her lips. He parted from her lips after a while and looked at her innocent eyes. She was out of breath and her cheeks were stained red. He arrogantly smirked at her as he brushed away some strands of hair from her face.

"Suddenly pushing me like that…Geez…" she blurted out in a very cute yet irritated way. She was trying to look mad. She can't let Natsume know that she actually enjoyed his surprise kiss. "Natsume, you'll always be a pervert. Just because you have permission to my body doesn't mean you can attack me without warning."

"I'll do whatever I like," he whispered and felt Mikan shudder as he nibbled at the soft skin beneath her ear.

"Natsume, you're not thinking of—"

He caught her ear lobe between his teeth, and her thoughts scatted like Sakura petals blown by the wind. His hand slid under her skirt, and the feel of her cotton panties set him on fire. He wanted to strip the uniform off and run his hands all over her body. He wanted to make her moan with pleasure, wanted to hear her cry out his name. He was enjoying his time kissing her face, her neck, as his hands worked magic under her skirt. He could feel Mikan's heartbeat against his chest.

She lightly moaned at his touches and kisses. His aggressiveness never seemed to faze her. "Natsume…please stop…" They were in an isolated place, but someone still might see them. Her boyfriend was so bold enough to get so intimate with her in that kind of place. She can't change the fact that he was an absolute pervert in her life. She almost squeaked when Natsume was starting to unbutton her uniform. He was really serious to do it right there, and she was powerless to stop him.

"RAPE!" someone shouted from behind the bushes.

Natsume lifted his head at the sound of the voice and quickly removed himself from Mikan. He eyed the bushed in front of him. Cursing the unknown person who disturbed him, he burned the bushes with his fire and turned it to ashes almost instantly. With the bushes gone, Natsume took one good look at the interrupter. "You?" he muttered.

Mikan sat up, buttoning her uniform back, and turned to the direction Natsume was staring at. "Eh? Who is she?" she asked.

It was a girl, a cute one nevertheless. She had dark shoulder-length hair and big round eyes. She was a middle school student with two stars on her uniform. She was shaking in fear of what Natsume might do to her. She didn't mean to shout like that. She just got surprised with the whole scene that she didn't have time to think straight.

"She's the girl who gave you that letter…" Natsume told Mikan.

"Really?" Mikan's lips curved into a smile. "Then you're Sugita, Aya-chan, right?" She stood up and walked towards the girl.

"Yes, that's right…" Aya replied shyly, lowering her head. She was blushing like crazy because the scene she witnessed a while ago was still fresh in her mind. "Umm…Mikan-san…I'm sorry for bothering you and Hyuuga-san with your…erm…" Her words came out in murmurs after this.

"Don't mind it, Aya-chan!" Mikan said, waving her hands in front of her. "Please forget what you saw. Natsume wasn't actually raping me. He's just being his stupid perverted self, that's all." Mikan let out a nervous chuckle, and Natsume just sighed in frustration.

"Oh…okay…" Aya had heard so many things about Natsume, both good and bad, and she had learned that he was only a pervert when it comes to Mikan. She found it hard to believe that Mikan, who was innocent and sweet, has a perverted boyfriend.

"Aya-chan, I want to thank you for the letter," Mikan said, and Aya looked up at her in surprise. "I love the letter. Thanks for worrying about me." She held Aya's hand and smiled at her.

"I-It was n-nothing…" Aya stammered. Her face was red all over.

"Aya-chan, let's be friends, okay?" Mikan asked her, clasping her hands firmly. "And you can call me Mikan-chan, if you like."

Aya's bashful smile grew wider into a beautiful smile. Be friend with the girl you admire the most? She would be delighted to be friends with Mikan. "Sure!" she managed to say cheerfully.

Natsume was flustered. Leave it to his girlfriend to befriend an unknown person within seconds. Being very aloof, he was certainly thick when it comes to socializing with others. His girlfriend and best friend were far better than him in that department. At least Mikan befriended a girl than a boy this time. He would be irritated as hell if a guy will try to befriend Mikan just because he has a crush on her.

* * *

"Nonoko-chan…" Umenomiya Anna sounded worried. She had noticed that her best friend was not her usual self ever since the Cosplay World race ended. Nonoko had told her whole experience in the Cosplay World. Anna was simply amazed on how she managed to keep up with Natsume, despite his cold attitude and unfriendliness. Nonoko and Natsume were almost at the finish line if it weren't for Youichi and Nobara. But a race is a race. There would always be winners and losers. Anna tried to cheer Nonoko up by letting her help out with the baking. Try as she might, Nonoko still looked gloomy and she was already mixing the wrong ingredients into the bowl. They were currently in the kitchen of Sweet Angel Café, with aprons on and a bandana on their heads. "Um…You're doing it wrong…"

Humbly, Nonoko held out the mixing bowl. "But I don't understand. I put ten cups of flour in with the eggs, like you said—" She pretended to look alert, but Anna could see right through her.

"Not with the eggs, Nonoko-chan," Anna said with a sigh. "You have ruined it. The flour mustn't get wet until it's time. I thought you knew that…"

Nonoko looked at the soggy mixture at the bottom of the bowl. It did look pretty unappetizing. She swirled the bowl to mix the ingredients a little better. But it didn't seem to improve things much. She was so caught up with her daydreaming about a certain someone that she didn't mind the mixing.

"You baked cakes with me before and you never messed up this badly," Anna said, taking away the bowl from her friend. She placed the bowl in the sink and turned back to Nonoko. "First, the baking powder must be added." She was trying to explain the process Nonoko, but she immediately stopped talking when she saw her heave a sigh. Anna got more worried.

"Umm, I'm really sorry, Anna-chan," Nonoko said glumly. "It's just that I was really expecting to win and—" She knew she shouldn't complain or whine about it, but she knew she had to chance to kiss her crush.

"You're really serious with Kawashima-kun, huh?" Anna said, leaning against the counter.

The young chemist sank down into a chair. Unfortunately it was covered with a pan of rolls Anna had just pulled from the oven. "OUCH!" she cried, springing up suddenly.

With that, Anna couldn't help giggling. "Nonoko-chan, you're so absentminded today that you forgot about the pan." She patted her friends back and smiled at her. "Maybe a little rest will make you feel better."

Nonoko wrinkled her nose and tried to think. A rest wasn't a bad idea, but she wasn't that tired. "I'll stay and help you out," she told Anna, but the pink-haired girl shook her head. "Don't worry…I'm fine…"

"No, you're not," Anna replied. She had known Nonoko since they were little and it was easy for her to figure out her innermost feelings. "You can't work properly while you think about Kawashima-kun all the time."

Nonoko looked down at her feet, letting her dark-blue hair fall from her shoulders. "Kawashima-kun will never like a plain girl like me," she muttered under her breath. Her heart was pounding fast as the platinum-haired boy came into her mind. "He likes Mikan-chan… I don't stand a chance."

"That's not true," Anna said. "Nonoko-chan, you're not plain and you still have a chance. Even though Kawashima-kun likes Mikan-chan, I'm sure it's only admiration. Besides, Mikan-chan has Natsume-kun already."

"But…"

"Nonoko-chan, if you want him to like you, you better act now," Anna said, placing her hands on Nonoko's shoulder. "Kawashima-kun is very popular with the girls, so you can't stay quiet or else another girl will snatch him away. Do whatever it takes to make him notice you. You have to be confident. I believe that you and Kawashima-kun will make a good couple."

Nonoko blushed at her last sentence. "You really think so?" she asked, and Anna nodded her head with a smile. The talented chef was right, Nonoko had admitted. She shouldn't let shyness take over her. She was in love with Kyo and it was great to have such a feeling. "I'll try my best, Anna-chan." Her face changed from gloomy to happy.

"And I'll support you all the way," Anna said.

Business in Sweet Angel Café went well as usual. The whole afternoon was extremely pleasant for the two girls. Anna has once again dazzled her customers with her recipes and delicious cakes. She, along with the other female staff, was wearing a handmade pink and white maid outfit. The outfits were designed by the great Kawashima Asuka herself. The male customers were practically delighted to see such cute waitresses serve them. They felt like they were in heaven with all the beautiful ladies in the café, including Anna of course.

Nonoko wasn't a regular staff of the café, but she still helped out whenever she was free. She was actually in charge of another booth, which sells different kinds of herbs, medicines, beauty products and interesting potions. Nonoko's creations were very popular and she would usually make millions during the Alice Festival. She tended to her booth after she was done helping Anna out and she had sold a dozen potions that afternoon. Her shift ended at four o'clock and she decided to head back to café to grab a bite to eat. On her way there, she managed to bump into a guy and fell butt first on the ground.

"Ah, sorry about that," the guy said, extending his hand to help her.

"I-It's okay…" she said, rubbing her sore butt. When she looked up at the guy, her eyes widened in almost an instant. "K-K-Kawshima-kun?" Her voice was stammering badly. She had just bumped into her crush. She felt so embarrassed about it.

"Yup, that's me," Kyo said, smiling handsomely at her. "So, are you just going to sit there the whole day?"

Nonoko's face turned instantly red as she shook her head. She nervously took Kyo's hand and she almost felt her heart jumping out when Kyo pulled her up. "Thank you…" she managed to say in such a soft voice.

"Ogasawara-san, you were pretty amazing during the race," Kyo said, brushing his hands through his platinum-blue hair. "It's such a pity that you were paired up with that Hyuuga."

Her heart was racing in an amazing speed. She didn't know if she can take it. She knew that she was blushing like hell. "I did my best, but I still lost…" she said, tapping her cheek, as she giggled.

"It was a close," Kyo said, looking at her with a big, proud smile, and she sank her head lower, relieved, and pleased that he was talking to her. He tilted her chin up with his finger, making her look up at him. His heterochromatic eyes were gentle and almost loving. "If you did win, who would you choose? Me or the Shadow Prince?"

"I would choose…" she said, her eyes soft with all the feelings she had been holding in for him. "I would choose Kawashima-kun…" It took her a lot of guts to say that.

"Me?" He liked the way she answered, and he was enjoying looking at her blushing face and her dark-blue eyes. "I'm quite flattered, Ogasawara-san." She gave him a timid smile, and he laughed as he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, and then he pulled away from her and started walking away.

Nonoko stared at his retreating figure, a shocked expression on her face. Kyo just kissed her on the cheek. It was the biggest surprise of her life. It was so unexpected. She couldn't believe that it just happened in a blink of an eye. She was speechless for moment before she slowly touched the part where he kissed her. "Kawashima-kun…" she muttered his name as she smiled.

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: I like Natsume to be aggressive and Mikan to be innocent all the time. It just spices things up for me. They were really going to do it if it weren't for Aya. Seriously, she'll play an important role later on. I assure you that Kyo and Nonoko will get a lot closer from now. I never thought of pairing Kyo with Nonoko before I started this story. The idea just hit me and since I find Nonoko adorable, I decided to give her a guy. Please review. No flaming.


	16. The Sakura Treasure

JC: The second day of the Alice Festival arrives. The play won't be on till the third day and everyone is expecting the last dance on the last day, right? I'll try to make the Last Dance good for you. The dark side of this story has yet to come. The plot will thicken once the Alice Festival is over. Of course, it will involve the Anti-Alice Organization. They still want to get their hands on our sweet Mikan after all.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 16: The Sakura Treasure

The night was beautiful and cold, and Mikan was almost shuddering against her boyfriend, as they walked into the dormitory. It had been one hell of day for them. Cosplaying, dating, getting on each others nerves—they've done all that for the whole afternoon. Mikan was also happy that she got herself a new friend and a cute one to boot. Though she was constantly stuttering whenever Natsume looks at her, Aya was able to almost act natural around Mikan. She had tried to make her boyfriend friendlier for the past few years. But her Natsume was still the same cold and aloof perverted flame-caster. Well, that was the personality engraved in him. Thankfully, Aya still had a wonderful time with her. She parted with her boyfriend when she got into her room. She promised to visit him later after she was done changing.

She took her time in the shower, and after ten minutes she came out in her peach-colored bathrobe. She plopped herself onto her king-sized bed and placed the back of her hand against her temple. Becoming friends with Aya wasn't the only memorable thing for her on that day. There was also the kiss with Youichi. She could feel her lips curving into a small smile as she thought about the blushing 7-year old boy. "You-chan was so cute…" She giggled. She turned over to her side and grabbed the Sakura Sensor on the bedside drawer. Because of her happy thoughts, the Sakura Sensor changed it colors to light pink. "Hmm…I like this color the best." She put it back on the drawer before she jumped off the bed. She needed to get dress and visit Natsume.

As she opened her closet, her eyes immediately drifted to a pure white gown. It was a gift from Natsume on White Day. She didn't know why her boyfriend liked giving her night gowns for a present. But she did like them. This particular white gown was made of silk and only reached her thighs. It could barely cover anything, which seemed to be the reason why she never bothered using it before. Pulling it out of the closet, she decided to surprise Natsume with it.

Her boyfriend was still in the shower when she came into his room. A few mangas were scattered on his study table and some of his dirty clothes were scattered on the floor. A small pout escaped her lips as she shook her head in dismay. Natsume was indeed a boy who can be messy sometimes. Sighing, she picked up the clothes from the floor and put them in the laundry basket. After that, she arranged the mangas and placed them back on the shelves. "There…Now the room's a lot neater…" she said, chuckling to herself.

Natsume came out of the bathroom only clad in a towel. When he laid eyes on Mikan, he didn't move. Mikan was an amazing sight to see and she knocked the breath out of him utterly. Her amber eyes shone brightly as she greeted him with a smile. He gazed at her from head to toe taking note of the clothing she was wearing. It was his gift for her on White Day. She had finally worn it. He didn't expect it to be so short. However, he was quite relieved that it looked good on her. Her naked thighs, her bear shoulders, her silky skin all looked so appealing to him. He felt passion come up between his legs. He felt it go to his brain instantly.

"How do I look, Natsume?" she asked very innocently, twirling around on the spot. "I finally tried it on just for you."

He came towards her and stared at her coldly yet lovingly. "Looks good…" he muttered casually, and Mikan's smile broadened. "And I thought you were never going to wear it, polka-dots…" He took her in his arms, clasping her bottom through the thin linen. He lifted her up and back on the bed. He pushed her back, until she was seated against the pillows. Her legs were out straight. He kissed her knees and ran his hands down her calves.

"Um…Natsume, I don't think we should—"

"Shut up," he cut her off. She opened her mouth to say something, but he immediately sealed her mouth with a kiss. He could see her eyes closing in pleasure. He ran his hands up her thigh, feeling delighted to touch such delicate skin. Thus began a seduction as slow and nice. Natsume pleasured her with his hands and mouth, driving her to new heights of creativity. He did it with her before and he won't hesitate to do it again. His girlfriend's body was too good to resist.

Pleasure ran through her body like electricity. It wasn't something new to her, but it kept getting better and better. Natsume was kissing her, and she responded, loving his hands running all over her. Wanting Natsume seemed so natural, so right. Loving him was definitely good. A wave of bliss shot along her spine as he unzipped the gown, his fingers seducing her back. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he burrowed his hand beneath her panties and urged her to lift her hips so he could remove them.

They touched and kissed. They whispered each other's name followed by words that only lovers would say.

* * *

"Pervert." She threaded her fingers through his raven locks. She lifted her head to look at his face. There was seriousness there, but his eyes held mischief in them. Her stomach tightened, and she turned away from him. "To bring up such a sensitive topic…You're really a pervert, Natsume." She became terrified the moment Natsume suggested of having children. She was already afraid of getting caught sleeping with him. And yet, he was thinking of having children of his own. She didn't want to get pregnant…Well, not at the age of fourteen.

Natsume slid his fingers through her silky hair. "Idiot, I meant after we get married. You jump to conclusions too quickly." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer against his chest. He sniffed her wonderful tangerine scent, which was so heavenly for him.

"Sorry for being an idiot, but we're still fourteen, Natsume," she said in an exasperated tone. "You can talk about that when we grow up."

He cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable for the first time. "You're not an idiot. I guess I am…" He felt stupid for talking about kids and marriage. He didn't know that it was a sensitive topic for girls. Well, he was guy, so how was he supposed to know that? He wasn't particularly an expert on the feelings of others, especially that of a girl.

Mikan sighed and faced him. "I'm not ready to talk about those things yet," she said. She cradled his face between her hands and kissed the tip of his nose lightly. "But I will be when the time comes." She then shifted her hands on his chest as she looked at him with amber eyes full of love and promise.

"Mikan…" He gave her shoulders a light squeeze. "You'll marry me when the time comes, so don't you dare date other guys or leave me behind." His voice was intimidating yet sincere. He was definitely serious with what he said.

"As long as you betray me or anything," Mikan said with a sweet giggle.

He'd never wanted anyone the way he wanted Mikan. He'd never felt his need to possess a woman, body and soul, to claim her as his and only his. He would never go after another girl. Mikan was the only girl, the only beauty for his eyes. "I'm not stupid enough to do that," he muttered.

Her fingers were stroking his skin. It was an innocent touch that set off not-so-innocent shock waves. Natsume's hands tightened. It was hard to keep in-check when Mikan was this close to him. The fact that she was still naked in bed with him made him wanted to pull her down and bury himself so deep inside her. Even though she was so innocent and naïve, Mikan was still capable of seducing him with a simple touch. Damn.

Realizing the time, Mikan almost fell out of bed due to panic. She was going to be late for her morning shift. "Natsume, I have to get dress!" She jumped out of the bed, with a blanket wrapped around her body, and ran towards the door. When she was about to open the door, Natsume grabbed onto the sheet to prevent her from leaving. "Let go, Natsume! I'm in a hurry!"

"Do you expect me to let you go outside without any clothes on?" he told her with his usual bored expression.

Mikan took a good look at herself and gasped. "AH! I'm naked!" She had completely forgotten about her clothes. It was a good thing Natsume stopped her. She withdrew her hand from the doorknob and let out a sigh of relief. "I don't know what I'll do if somebody sees me like this." She chuckled to herself.

One thing for sure, Natsume will go berserk if a fan boy happens to see her naked. He was the only one allowed to see her like that. "Just use my bathroom. I'll go get your clothes." He grabbed the robe hanging from the hook and put it on.

"Thank you, Natsume!" she chirped, giving Natsume one big hug. "While you're at it, could you bring me two ribbons as well?" She pressed herself against Natsume even more, making things awkward for the flame-caster. Temptation was testing him yet again. Her chest was just too soft, and he wanted to touch it, but he had better control of himself. He already had his fun with her last night.

As soon as Natsume stepped out of his room, he saw a young Youichi standing by Mikan's bedroom door. He approached the lad cautiously, as Youichi looked up at him with a cold expression that rivaled his. Silence engulfed the two for a while until Youichi spoke up. "Onee-chan is not in her room anymore," he said in monotone. "I've knocked a few times already. Where is she, Onii-chan?"

Natsume slipped his hands into the robe's pockets as he thought of what to answer. He can't just say that Mikan was in his room right now—in the shower to be precise. Nobody was supposed to know that they had slept together in one room. Telling a lie to Youichi won't be easy, he admitted, because the boy was sharp and smart. "Who knows? She's probably at the Festival right now." He sounded natural, as if he was telling the truth, but Youichi seemed suspicious.

"She went without you?" Youichi said.

"I told her to go ahead because she was too damn excited about the cosplay," Natsume said with a shrug. His piercing crimson eyes had never left Youichi's dark-green ones.

"I see…" Youichi spun on his heels and stared down at the floor. "Onii-chan…" There was a hint of hesitation in his voice, yet his face remained completely composed. "I didn't mean to steal a kiss from Onee-chan."

Natsume narrowed his eyes. He could still remember the kiss between Youichi and Mikan perfectly in his head. However, he wasn't angry at Youichi for that. Natsume understood that it was all an accident. "I know," he replied unemotionally. "You don't have to tell me that."

"Onii-chan, you're really lucky to have Onee-chan," Youichi said, turning his head back at Natsume. "If you ever hurt Onee-chan, I won't forgive you—even if you're my Onii-chan." He meant every word he said as he held a stoic expression on his face. Youichi just felt like saying that to Natsume, with no apparent reasons at all. Afterwards, Youichi walked away.

Surprisingly, even though Youichi was still seven, he can be an intimidating figure. Natsume could see himself in him, but sometimes he thought of Youichi as far more dangerous than anyone else. He had known him for so long and the only time he could see the lad smile to the fullest was whenever he was with Mikan. And what Youichi just said a while ago was something he'll take seriously. If he ever betrays or hurts Mikan, not only Youichi will kill him, but a lot of people as well. But he will never do anything to hurt her.

* * *

"Everyone is enjoying the festival," Mouri Reo said, removing his shades and sitting down on the roof of the high school division building. With a haughty smirk, he ran his fingers through his unruly auburn hair. "This festival is really sickening." Malice was present in his voice.

"Found ya!"

Reo looked up and dodged the wind blade assault of a spiky-haired guy wearing his high school uniform improperly. The singer twitched and glared at the new comer. "Dangerous Ability Class student, Matsudaichi Hayate, nicknamed _Kamaitachi_, and Alice is Air…" he muttered under his breath. "Hmph. Another one of Persona's dogs."

"The higher-ups were right about an intruder around," Hayate said, narrowing his sharp slit eyes, as he clenched his fists. "But I didn't expect it to be you, Mouri Reo. Tell me, how did you get in? The Academy made sure the security was tight, but you still got in."

The singer smirked arrogantly at the student. "Why the hell should I tell an Academy dog like you?" he said. As he snapped his fingers, two more Anti-Alice members appeared behind Hayate. "It's your unlucky day, you—"

"Tch, enough talk! I'm going to finish you!" Hayate jumped up into the air and threw several wind blades at Reo. One of the Anti-Alice members teleported and appeared beside Reo, and then he grabbed Reo and teleported just in time to avoid the blades. When Hayate landed, Reo and the other member appeared behind him. However, Hayate had quick reactions and reflexes. He was able to jump away from them to a certain distance.

Another smirk appeared on Reo's face and he started removing his control device on his ear. "You're going to regret facing me," and after he said that, Hayate whirled more wind-blades at him. Reo wasn't worried, because his companion, Shidou, blocked the attacks with his Barrier Alice. "Hmph…No one is going to stop me from taking the Nullifier."

Hayate gritted his teeth. "As if I'll let you…" he said furiously. Using his Alice, he manipulated the air around the AAO members and formed a tornado to trap them inside. It was a useless effort because Shidou used his Barrier Alice to stop his attacks. "Damn it!" He was going to attack more when—

_"Stop!"_ Reo ordered as he used his Voice Pheromone Alice. Hayate was rendered powerless as Reo's voice took over his system. _"The AAO could use a skillful Alice user like you. So, I command you to join forces with—" _He got cut off when cold dry ice began covering him, especially his mouth. Afterwards, he and the other two saw Nobara running towards Hayate.

"It's the Ice Princess," Shidou pointed out.

Ibaragi Nobara, as part of the Dangerous Ability Class, was also ordered to search for the intruder around the Academy. It was a good thing Hayate created a tornado a while ago, because she managed to determine his location with it. Seeing that her fellow student was still in a trance, Nobara used her Alice to make her hands colder than the arctic and touched his skin. "Snap out of it, please…" she said.

"WHAT THE?!" Hayate exclaimed, snapping back to reality. "You? What are you doing here?" He pointed a finger at the Ice girl, looking very confused.

"You're all right now," Nobara said with a sigh of relief. "You were controlled by Reo a while ago."

"Controlled?!" Hayate uttered. He shifted his enraged eyes towards Reo and his goons, and gritted his teeth. "You are so gonna pay!" Gathering the air in his palm, he hurled several air spheres at them. But his attacks were useless against the Barrier Alice. He was getting impatient. The more he attacked, the more agitated he became.

The other AAO member had done a good job scraping off the ice from Reo's mouth. "Reo-san, you can use your Alice now," he said.

Nobara's eyes grew wide with horror. She tried attacking them with ice daggers, but the barrier blocked them. "Oh no…This is bad." Thinking fast, Nobara knelt down and touched the roof with both hands. She maintained perfect concentration as she began turning the roof beneath the AAO's feet into slippery ice. "I won't let you manipulate us," she said, almost stuttering.

No matter how hard they tried, Reo and his minions were not able to maintain balance. Thus, they slipped and fell from the roof. How humiliating to be beaten by students yet again, Reo thought wryly, but he wasn't going to give up. "Teleport us now!" he commanded his minion.

"Roger." The AAO member grabbed Reo's and Shidou's hand and a blink of an eye the three of them disappeared from sight.

Nobara dropped to her knees and heaved a sigh. "That was dangerous…" she said, looking up at Hayate. "But we managed to drive them away."

"Yeah…" Hayate folded his arms over his chest. "But they're still here. We have to report this to Persona," he said, and the Ice Princess nodded in agreement. It was already a big problem for the Dangerous Ability Class to watch over the Festival, making sure that nothing goes wrong, and it was trouble for him to have Reo around who could strike any moment.

* * *

Ogasawara Nonoko planted herself before the Special Ability Class's Cosplay World Attraction and flipped a coin. Heads, she would go talk to Kyo and asked him to have lunch with her at the Sweet Angel Café. Her best friend, Anna, had personally given her a free meal ticket just for her and Kyo. Nonoko was awfully nervous about talking to Kyo. If she gets tails, she would just try the next day. She caught the coin and it was Heads.

Brushing aside her nervousness, she entered the Cosplay World through the backdoor. Aware that she was an unauthorized person there, Nonoko strolled through the back quietly until she came across the dressing room. She wasn't so sure of what to do or what to say to Kyo once she goes in, but she was going to do her best. Keeping her chin up, she knocked on the door three times. She couldn't breathe for a second when the door opened and she came face-to-face with the handsome young man that she adored.

"Hey there, Ogasawara-san." Kyo's voice was smooth and lovely to her ears. "How did you get in?"

"Umm…Well, no one was guarding the back door, so I snuck in without permission." Nonoko fiddled with her fingers, blushing slightly.

"Hmm…So, nobody's watching, huh? I better tell senpai about that later." Kyo opened the door for her and invited her to get in. "But Ogasawara-san is always welcomed in the Special Ability Class. Please come in and make yourself at home."

Nonoko nodded her head and went inside. She gazed around the dressing room for a while and got amazed with the costumes hanging around. "Are you going to wear all those costumes?" She pointed a finger at them.

"Yup! I've already tried half of them already." Kyo walked over to the costume rack and grabbed the Cloud Strife costume. "This is from Final Fantasy VII. Do you think it will look good on me?" He showed the costume to Nonoko, while posing in front of a full-length mirror.

"Of course! Kawashima-kun looks good in any costume."

Kyo lightly chuckled, feeling flattered with what she said. "Thanks…" He placed the costume back to its proper place and took a seat on a stool. "So, what brings you here, Ogasawara-san? If you're looking for Mikan-sama, she's cosplaying right now."

Nonoko shook her head. "I'm not looking for Mikan-chan," she said, lowering her head to avoid his heterochromatic eyes. "I'm here because…" She swallowed hard. She wondered if she could ask him properly. She was getting nervous.

"Because of what?" Kyo stared at her with keen interest.

Pulling herself together, Nonoko pulled the meal ticket from her pocket and clenched it tight. "I-I wanted…to…ask y-you to have lunch with m-me this noon…at S-Sweet Angel Café." She can't believe she just said that in a stuttering voice. She was starting to curse herself for being shy and nervous.

Kyo smiled mischievously. "Basically, you're asking me out on a date, right?" And when he saw her face turning a deeper shade of red, Kyo approached Nonoko and patted her shoulders. "All right… No problem. Besides, I've always wanted to try the food there. I heard that it's good. And it's certainly a pleasure to dine with a cute girl like you, Ogasawara-san."

Nonoko's heart thumped so fast she almost forgot how to breathe. Who wouldn't get excited and flattered after your crush complimented you? Not only that, he even agreed to eat lunch with her. Nonoko was happy. "Then I'll see you at noon at Sweet Angel Café, okay?" she meekly said, presenting the meal ticket to him.

"I'll be there. You can count on it." Kyo showed her a thumb up before he took the ticket and put it in his pocket. "I've got to ask this… Why did you choose to invite me? You could've invited your classmates or Mikan-sama."

"Eh? Well, I… Actually…" Nonoko felt stiff. The reason why she asked Kyo was because she wanted to spend time with him. But she can't tell him that. She would be embarrassed. "My classmates are all busy with their own jobs, Anna-chan is doing the cooking at the café, and Mikan-chan is with Natsume-kun during lunch time…" She hoped Kyo wouldn't ask her any more questions. She knew that she was talking weirdly to him, but Kyo doesn't seem to mind.

"Oh, I see…" Kyo brushed his hand through his hair. "Well, a lot of girls tried asking me out already, and technically you're the first girl in this school that I agreed to go out with. Don't ask me why…" He chuckled to himself.

Nonoko smiled, her Prussian-blue eyes sparkling in admiration. "I-I'm happy to hear that…" she said in a mild voice.

"Kyo-kun, can I see you for a minute?" Mikan asked as she came rushing into the room. Then she paused when she saw Nonoko. "Hi! Nonoko-chan! What are you doing here?"

"I'm here…erm…" Nonoko stammered, blushing madly again. Pushing her nervousness aside, Nonoko turned to Kyo and bowed her head. "I'll see you later, Kawashima-kun." She then turned to Mikan with a heart-warming smile and took note of her 'Honda Tohru' uniform costume. "Mikan-chan, you look so cute in that uniform and your hairstyle suits you."

"Really? Thanks!" Mikan had two ribbons in her hair just like 'Tohru' from Fruits Basket.

"I have to go now," Nonoko said. "I just came here to give something to Kawashima-kun." After saying that, she excused herself and left the room.

"Kyo-kun, what did Nonoko-chan give you?" Mikan asked, taking a seat on the stool in front of the mirror. "Is it food? Candy? Fluff Puffs?"

"Nope…" Kyo answered. "It's far better than those stuffs." He pulled out the meal ticket and showed it to Mikan.

"A meal ticket to Sweet Angel Café?!" Mikan's eyes shimmered with glee. "Lucky! The food there is great! Natsume already took me there yesterday. Of course, he did the paying." She twirled a lock of hair with her finger as she began daydreaming about the food at the café. Every year she would always have her meal there during Alice Festivals, and it was always nice to eat Anna's cooking. Mikan was also a fairly good cook, but Anna was one of the best chefs in the Academy.

Kyo briefly glanced at the ticket in his hand, thinking about Nonoko. She did come up with good reasons to tell him, but Kyo knew the real reason why she invited him instead of her other classmates. Kyo was a genius in both academics and love, and he was certain about Nonoko's feelings. His feelings for Mikan were still there in his heart, but it was more like fan-love. Admiration and real love were different. Through Nonoko's shy and cautious actions towards him, he was able to find out about her big crush on him. He was flattered yet it was making things confusing for him.

"Umm…Kyo-kun, what's the matter?" Mikan asked, noticing how quiet he was. He would usually talk about so many things with her. "Is something bothering you?"

Something, or rather, someone was bothering his mind—a certain Triple Star student with the Alice of Chemistry. "Nah, it's nothing!" Kyo said in a fake cheerful tone. "I'm just thinking about the food. Ogasawara-san and I will be eating a feast later."

"Eh? You're eating lunch with Nonoko-chan?" Mikan thought that Nonoko only came to give Kyo the ticket and nothing else.

Kyo nodded his head. "Yup! She came here to personally give me this meal ticket." He put the ticket back in his pocket before he removed the uniform jacket. It was time for him to change into his costume for the day. "Ogasawara-san is real nice to invite me." He hung the jacket on a hook and proceeded to untying his tie.

"She invited you? Are you two close to one another?" Mikan tilted her head when asked that.

"Well, not really…" Kyo chuckled to himself. "But we will be." And he sure hoped so, not as lovers, but more as friends first. He figured to give her the chance to be with him, though he was afraid to hurting her. A love confession would surely arise, and Kyo had no idea how to deal with that.

* * *

It was almost lunch time, about time for Mikan's and Kyo's shift to end. The two of them had worked hard in the attraction, completely taking control of the challenges, making it harder for the contestants to win. The other prizes, Tsubasa and Misaki, were doing all they can to prevent players from reaching the goal, knowing that their kisses were still on the line. Normally, Tsubasa wouldn't take the challenges seriously, but his violent yet pretty girlfriend was forcing him to do it. So, no matter how many fan girls pleaded him to let them pass, he can't do it. Same goes for Kyo as well. As the representative of the Mikan-sama fan club, it was his sworn duty to protect Mikan's kiss from any other boys. Of course, all of the Special Ability students were having a blast with their attraction, which was a big hit. They were sure to win the Special Award again this year.

Heading back to the dressing room, Kyo and Mikan talked about their challenges for the whole morning. Kyo was dressed up as an Obelisk Blue student of 'Yu-Gi-Oh! GX' while Mikan was still in her 'Hondu Tohru' sailor uniform. It was not until Megane, a Special Ability student who can transfer his soul to another object, came up to them, panting hard. He was currently clad in a 'Ragnarok Online Priest' outfit. "Big news!" he exclaimed. "One pair managed to win the race!"

Kyo scratched his head. "Seriously?" he muttered in an exasperated tone, and Megane just nodded his head. "Then the pair must be really good. Who are they?"

Megane turned to Mikan, who was throwing him a cute and curious look, and let out a slight chuckle. "It's them…" he said. "They finally came back and they want to see you."

"Me? Who's 'them'?" she asked, raising a brow.

"You'll see once you get to the entrance."

And so, Mikan and Kyo headed towards the entrance right away. As soon as they got there, they saw two adults standing in front of Tsubasa, Misaki, and a few other Special Ability students. One of the adults was female, had shoulder-length brown hair and was wearing a long-sleeved off-shouldered peach blouse, denim mini-skirt, and brown knee-length boots. The other one was male, had silky blonde hair and was wearing a black top, white and red jacket, blank pants, and leather shoes. Mikan recognized the two, even though she only saw their backs, and she smiled widely as she quickly approached them. The two adults heard her cheerful voice and turned around to see her.

"Okaa-san! Sakurano-senpai!" Mikan lunged forward towards her mother, Azumi Yuka, and gave her a big hug. "I missed you so much!" She had not seen her mother or Sakurano Shuuichi for the past 2 months, but they do keep in touch through mails and calls.

"It's been a while, Mikan," Yuka said, brushing her hand through Mikan's long silky brown hair. "How have you been, Mikan? Naru told me that you were doing well with your studies as usual." She threw her daughter a smile as they faced each other. She was undeniably the mother and the adult-version of Mikan. Yuka was infamous for her Stealing-Alice and a well-known operative of the Academy. She had quitted the Anti-Alice Organization and went back to Academy, after realizing the misdeeds of the AAO. It was also because to protect her precious daughter from them.

"Just great!" Mikan replied. "I'm aiming for the Honor Student Award again, so I can get to visit Jii-chan! I can't neglect my studies."

"You're really a good girl, Mikan," Yuka said, patting her head like a kitten.

Kyo, Tsubasa, Misaki and the other students watched their little reunion, feeling a bit touched. And Kyo was so amazed with the beauty Yuka possessed. He had a clear image of what Mikan was going to look like when she grows up.

Mikan turned to Sakurano and hugged him as well. "Senpai, I missed you too," she muttered before she pulled herself away from him.

"The feeling is the same, Mikan-san," Sakurano replied, his voice cool and sweet. The moment he showed his handsome smile at Mikan, the girls of the Special Ability Class couldn't help but be mesmerized at him. Truly, Sakurano was a charming young gentleman with the poise and the brains. He was previously a Special Star student and the president of the Student Council before he graduated from high school. He was highly regarded by the other students and popular with the girls. He was also best friends with the cold-hearted doctor, Imai Subaru. Like Subaru, he also looked up to Yuka and cared for Mikan. "I must say that you look quite adorable in that costume, Mikan-san."

"Really?" Mikan slightly blushed at the compliment. "Thank you, Sakurano-senpai!"

"This cosplay attraction of your class is great." Yuka glanced at Sakurano and said, "And the both of us managed to win the race."

"Eh? You're the one Megane-senpai was talking about?!"

"The challenges were a bit hard, but we made it," Yuka said, turning back to her daughter.

"They were too good," Tsubasa muttered, heaving a big sigh. "Even I couldn't stop them…" He let out a chuckle as he scratched the back of his head. Yuka and Sakurano happened to challenge him last, and he lost. Having your Shadow Manipulation Alice stolen for a while was no treat for him.

"Sorry for stealing your Alice, Tsubasa-kun," Yuka said, giggling. "There was no other way to win."

"Nah, it's all right. Besides, that was smart thinking, Yuka-san."

"Thanks…" Yuka walked over to Tsubasa and cupped her chin with her hand. "Now, about the prize…" She cunningly smiled and pointed a finger at him.

Misaki sarcastically smiled, realizing what Yuka meant. "Ah-ha… So, you're the lucky guy that gets to kiss Yuka-san…" she plainly said, giving him the stern look, and Tsubasa suddenly felt a pang of fear in his heart.

Though Tsubasa felt honored, he can't quite feel happy because of his girlfriend who was emitting a strange aura. "It can't be helped. Yuka-san chose me, Misaki…" he said, totally maintaining his coolness and poise.

Misaki grunted and slapped his back hard. "Hey, it's fine with me. Besides, Yuka-san is chibi's mother." She folded her arms in front of her chest. "So, don't worry about me." The sound of her voice and her face held no malice. There were no signs of irritation and jealousy either.

And for a second there, he thought Misaki was going to punch him or hit him with something, but his girlfriend just acted calm and nice. He was thankful for that. "Okay, here goes…" He looked at Yuka for a while. "A kiss on the cheek is fine, right?" he asked, and Yuka nodded in reply. Slowly, Tsubasa leaned towards her and planted one short yet gentle kiss on Yuka's right cheek.

"Well, I can't jump up and squeal like a fan girl just because of this," Yuka said, rubbing her cheek gently. "But thanks, Tsubasa-kun."

Sakurano placed a hand on Mikan's shoulder and leaned closer to her ear. "As for me, my prize shall be you…" he said in an engaging voice enough to make her blush. "Of course, if it's all right with you, Mikan-san."

Kyo watched Sakurano carefully. He had researched about him before and he knew what kind of person Sakurano was, including his relationship with Mikan. He need not have to worry about him getting close to Mikan, since Sakurano was no more than a brother figure to her.

"A kiss on the cheek will do, right?" Mikan said, standing on her toes to reach his face. Amber orbs met his alluring eyes as she sweetly smiled. At the time when she kissed his cheek was the same time Natsume appeared. Mikan noticed his arrival and waved a hand at him. "Natsume! Come here! Okaa-san and Sakurano-senpai are back!" she told her boyfriend.

Natsume was struck jealousy by the kiss, but he remained composed. He approached his girlfriend and looked at his future mother-in-law with his usual cold and serious face. Normally a guy should smile and be extremely polite to his girlfriend's mother, however, Natsume, being Natsume, only greeted her with a mere bow of the head and said, "Welcome back…" and his voice was monotonous.

"Have you been taking good care of my daughter, Natsume-kun?" Yuka questioned him, sounding a little strict and tender at the same time. She was cautious of Natsume at first, but she was aware of his undying love for Mikan. It was something she could understand clearly, as she too had been madly in love before. She had approved their relationship a long time ago and she even made Natsume promised her to take care of Mikan.

"Yes," Natsume replied nonchalantly. He always had taken good care of his girlfriend no matter what. Even though he already did it with her, he made sure not to get her pregnant. Of course, he had no plans on telling anyone about their little secret in bed. He'll be strangled to death for that.

* * *

The mother and daughter spent the whole day together. Going to different attractions, playing games here and there, winning prizes and eating Fluff Puffs at the park—they did all that and had fun. Yuka had always been busy with work and she usually goes out of the Academy to help people with Alices all over Japan. She had recently stolen the Alices of three children from Osaka because their parents didn't want them to go to Alice Academy. In order to protect the children from the Anti-Alice Organization, Yuka, with the approval of the parents, sucked the Alices out of the kids and kept the Alice stones in a safe place. Her job was pretty tiring. However, she always regained her energy back whenever she receives mails or calls from Mikan. And she was fully charge at the moment since Mikan was with her. Spending time with you own child was the best for a mother.

Mikan had changed to her casual clothes to be more comfortable when they left the Special Ability Class. She was currently clad in cropped short-sleeved pink blouse, white mini-skirt, and white knee-length go-go boots. And her hair was down and gorgeous as usual.

On their way back to the Special Ability Class attraction, Yuka spotted her very bubbly and eccentric junior, Narumi, who was currently distributing fliers for the play. Not only that, Narumi was dressed in a 'Fai D. Flourite' magician outfit from Tsubasa Chronicles. The outfit really looked good on him. "Naru!" Yuka called out.

When Narumi heard her voice, he quickly turned and saw her. "Y-Yuka-senpai?" he muttered. "You're back!" He walked up to Yuka and tucked the fliers under his arm.

"Isn't it great, Narumi-sensei?" Mikan said. "Okaa-san can watch our play. Those fliers are about the play, right?" She pointed at the papers.

"I bet you're the one who picked Mikan to be the leading lady again, huh?" Yuka said, and Narumi nodded. "Aren't you a bit bias, Naru?"

"Not at all," Narumi replied. "I picked Mikan-chan because of her skills and popularity, and not because she's my precious daughter."

Yuka then eyed Narumi from head to toe and crossed her arms. "What's the deal with this outfit?" she asked, raising a brow. "I think it's a bit much. You really like dressing up."

"You can't change that fact, Yuka-senpai," Narumi said with a giggle. He pulled out one flier and handed it to Yuka. "I'm sure you're looking forward to see Mikan-chan perform on stage again. If you'd like, I'll reserve a special seat for you." He winked an eye at her.

"Sure." The relationship she has with Narumi was still the same. She was still his senior and his good friend. There were nothing more than friends—even though Narumi harbored feelings for her. Yuka knew that, but she couldn't love him back. Her feelings were meant for Mikan's father alone, and she knew Narumi understood that. "Hey, Naru, are you free right now?" she asked, suddenly having the urge to spend time with him. It had been a long time since they hang out as friends.

Narumi blinked twice before he answered. "Um…Yeah… I'm just distributing the fliers."

"Okay then." Yuka then turned to her daughter. "Mikan, I'll go with Naru for a while. You don't mind going back to the Special Ability class alone, do you?"

Mikan shook her head. "Of course not. You wanna have fun with Narumi-sensei. I understand that," she replied. She walked away from them and when she reached a certain distance she turned around and waved a hand at them. "Well, I'll see you later, Okaa-san! Narumi-sensei!" Afterwards, she spun around and merrily ran off.

"So, where do you plan to take me first, Naru?" Yuka asked, giving the blonde a gorgeous smile. "Oh, and you're treating me…"

Sweat dropping, Narumi let out a nervous chuckle. "Eh? Seriously?" He managed to drop the fliers on the ground as he backed away from Yuka. "Give me a break, senpai. I almost became broke when I took you out during the Alice Festival last year." He tried to reason with her, but Yuka firmly shook her head.

"Come on, you still owe me for annoying the hell out of me during high school," Yuka said, giggling like a sweet little girl.

Narumi massaged his temples. "That was still in high school." His lips curved into an awkward smile as he brushed his hand through his soft blonde hair. "What's done is done."

Grabbing his arm, Yuka started walking and dragging him towards the attraction. "Show me a good time, okay?" she said, giving him a smile lovely enough to make him blush. Yuka poked his cheek and laughed at his blushing reaction, and Narumi just sighed. He still has feelings for her up until now, but he was fine as long as Yuka was happy.

Meanwhile, Mikan was walking towards her class's attraction when three middle school fan boys stopped her. Mikan, being the naïve girl that she was, greeted them with her cheerful smile, which turned the boys' eyes into hearts, yet she was completely unaware of what the boys were planning to do with her. She tried to excuse herself, telling them it was almost time for her shift, but they wouldn't let her pass. "Um…Tsubasa-senpai will be looking for me," she said. "If you want something from me, please tell me right away." She still held her smile.

"Mikan-sama, we've competed in Cosplay World several times already," the boy with green hair said.

"But we didn't win once," the brown-haired boy added.

"And we so wanted to win the kiss prize," the red-headed boy said, grinning maliciously at Mikan.

"That's too bad," Mikan replied. "Well, just do your best next time." She cheered them on. As she was about to walk away, the red-headed boy grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him. Mikan was shocked, of course, and she gave him a questionable look.

"We're sick and tired of losing," he grumbled, cupping her chin with his hand. "I'm going to take the prize right here, right now."

Mikan's amber orbs grew wide as saucers as the Sakura sensor turned a little white. "L-Let me go!" she exclaimed, trying to shove him away, but the guy held her wrist firmly. "Stop! I don't want this!" She was screaming out loud, and the boys found it amusing. Since he wasn't letting go, Mikan gritted her teeth and kicked him in the shin.

"OUCH!" the guy uttered. He hopped on one foot as he soothed his poor shin. Mikan can kick pretty hard, he thought bitterly.

"That's what you get for messing with me!" Mikan stuck out her tongue and made a run for it. She wasn't able to run farther when the brown-haired guy used his Speed Alice to get in front of her. Mikan managed to avoid getting grabbed first, but the guy was too quick for her. When the guy wrapped his arms around her, she struggled and screamed. "Let go!!"

"Look guys, I got her!" he told his other two friends. He was smirking triumphantly. At last, he got the chance to hug Mikan, though it wasn't easy keeping her still.

Mikan couldn't stand it anymore. The boys were clearly harassing her, and she was physically weak against them. She had no choice but to use her Steal-Alice at that point. "I'm sorry to do this," she muttered, and the Sakura Sensor turned back to its original color because she was calm. She closed her eyes and concentrated.

"What did you say, Mikan-sama?" the guy asked. Just then, his hair caught fire, making him panic like a whiny little girl. "WAH! Put it out!" He released Mikan and ran away to find water as fast as he could.

"Fire?" the green-haired boy said.

"Then that means…" the red-head muttered, swallowing hard.

Mikan's lips curved into a smile when she saw her boyfriend standing behind the boys. "Natsume!" she exclaimed, and the boys started to shudder.

"You bastards…" Natsume said in a murderous tone as he conjured a flame on his palm. "Get out my sight…" After saying that, the boys ran off in a flash. They weren't crazy enough to face a pissed-off Natsume, not after harassing his lovely girlfriend.

"Thank you, Natsume!" Mikan hugged his boyfriend and looked at him cheerfully. "You came in the nick of time. I was about to use my Alice on them, and I'm sure glad I didn't." Despite the rareness and power of the Stealing-Alice, Mikan only uses it when necessary.

"Did they hurt you?" he questioned, staring coldly at her.

Mikan shook her head. "They were just forcing a kiss on me," she said. "I guess those guys aren't patient enough to win the Cosplay World."

"Why are you alone? I thought you were with your mother." Natsume was always cautious whenever he had to leave Mikan alone. With the fan boys around the Academy, he had to keep a sharp lookout for his girlfriend all the time.

"Okaa-san is hanging out with Narumi-sensei," Mikan said, securely holding his arm. "Now then…Why don't you escort me to the Cosplay World?"

Natsume let out a sigh. Of course, he can't say no. Leaving her all alone will just attract more annoying fan boys. But before they went on, Natsume pulled out a rectangular velvet box from his pocket and showed it to Mikan.

"Huh? What is this, Natsume?" she asked. "A present for me?" She pointed at herself as she tilted her head a little bit to the left.

He opened the box and revealed a very beautiful accessory. It was a necklace with a platinum chain and a sparkling Cherry Blossom pendant. Natsume personally had it made from a craftsman at Central Town and he paid a hefty prize for it.

"Natsume…" She stared at the gift for a while before she looked up at him. "What's this for? It's not even my birthday today."

He took the necklace and slipped the box back into his pocket. "Why? Is it wrong to give you something?" he said coolly and went behind her. "I just felt like giving you this, so don't ask about it anymore." He placed the necklace around her neck and wrapped his arms around her petite waist.

Mikan blushed madly at his touch and looked at the necklace. "It's really beautiful, Natsume," she said softly. She pulled herself away so she could face him. "Natsume, thank you…" The smile she presented to him was warm and gentle, and it made Natsume want to kiss her.

He hadn't thought of a real reason for buying her the necklace. He just wanted to give her the best and make her happy. He thought of that gift at the time they went flower viewing at the Sakura Park of Alice Academy. His girlfriend was really fond of Cherry Blossoms, and since Hotaru gave her the Sakura Sensor, Natsume wanted to give her something related to Cherry Blossoms as well.

"Wait a minute," Mikan said, poking his chest. "Are you sure you're Natsume?"

Natsume raised a brow, thinking absurdly of her. "And what made you say that?"

"It's kinda weird for you to give me a gift all of a sudden," Mikan said, giggling. "It's so not like you."

"Tch…" True, his girlfriend proved a point, but he was always unexpected. One can never know what's on his mind. He rolled his eyes away from her and shrugged. "Shut up and be glad that I gave you something, polka-dots."

A vein popped up on Mikan's head. "Stop it with the name-calling, hentai-san," she grumbled. "And I'm not wearing polka-dots today, so there!"

"Oh, I forgot…" Natsume heaved a heavy sigh and pinched her nose. "You're wearing peach-colored today…"

And the vein on her head grew bigger. "You idiot!" she screamed in a funny way because Natsume was pinching her nose. "I can't believe you can blurt that out so easily. You're a big idiot! Pervert!" She kept flailing her arms up and down as she shouted.

Not giving a damn care of the insults he was getting, he clamped her mouth with his hand and drew his face closer to hers. "And you're really loud and annoying," he said nonchalantly. He then caressed her luscious lips with his thumb and kissed her. It was one way of shutting her up and to satisfy himself.

Well, there was nothing she could at that point, so Mikan just let Natsume do as he pleased. Slowly, her arms snaked around his neck as she deepened the kiss further.

The couple continued to share a romantic moment together, completely unaware that they were being spied by three Anti-Alice Members from afar. Reo, who was watching them through the binoculars, couldn't help but smirk. He had just come up with a cunning yet wonderful idea to capture Sakura Mikan. He threw the binoculars to Shidou and leaned his back against the wall.

"Reo-san, our next plan is—"

"We'll capture her after this stupid festival is over," Reo abruptly said. "For now, we remain low and we'll continue to observe her."

"Yes, Reo-san," Shidou said, as the other member nodded his head.

Reo raked his auburn hair before he covered a part of his face with his hand. The idea he had in mind was going to be a success, he thought. Once the AAO will have Mikan, Alice Academy would surely fall. He was surely expecting that day to come.

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: This chapter was full of Natsume and Mikan moments. Again, I'm NOT going to write LEMON. I didn't realize how long this chapter was, because I just kept on writing and writing. This is 17 pages all in all. I sometimes surprised myself. The new characters I introduced here were Azumi Yuka-sama and Sakurano Shuuchi-senpai. Mikan's mom is not anymore an Anti-Alice Member. Like I stated above, the plot will be deeper when the festival ends. This is sort of like 'the calm before the storm'. The next chapter will feature a little of the play. **The Reader's Choice Award polls are now open!** Head to The Reader's Choice Awards 20072008! in the forums section and start voting for your favorite stories/author!


	17. Having Fun at the Festival

JC: The play and a whole lot of moments—sound exciting, right? You'll be reading that all in this chapter. I won't elaborate much on the play, because it take a lot of time, and I'm sure most of you are familiar with the 'Princess and the Pauper' story.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 17: Having Fun at the Festival

The day of the play had finally arrived. The whole Somatic Class was busy with the preparations, as the ones in charge made sure everything was in order. The actors and actresses were doing some rehearsing because they surely didn't want to mess up during the play. The moderating teacher, Narumi-sensei, was checking up on his students, and he was glad that everyone was working hard. There was one person missing, though, and it was none other than Mikan, who was playing as the princess in the play. She still had to help out with the Special Ability Class, but she did promise the blonde teacher that she would come before lunch time. After inspecting his class, he went over to the Special Ability Class to see his favorite student.

The Cosplay World was the most popular attraction in the whole Alice Festival. Loads of people would come and try out the attraction everyday to have fun and to win the prize. Although there were only a few people who won, the others still try their best. The class was currently running a picture-taking booth with the most attractive figures of the Special Ability types, namely Andou Tsubasa, Harada Misaki, Kawashima Kyo, and Sakura Mikan. Of course, the customers have to pay up for the picture.

Narumi checked out the picture-taking booth and saw a very spectacular female there. He blinked several times in awe when he set his sights on his daughter. She looked very elegant in her 'Belldandy' goddess costume and her lovely hair was tied in a ponytail. He noticed that the fan boys were gawking and cooing at her, and Mikan didn't seem to mind it at all. And to his profound amazement, he saw Yuka approaching her daughter and took a picture with her. She was wearing a blue tube dress with a flowing skirt that was 2-inches above her knees overlapped with a white blazer, and for footwear she wore a pair of simple closed-shoes. Narumi cracked a smile when he saw the two girls smiled brightly for the camera. The two of them really looked alike.

After the picture taking, Yuka pushed herself out of the crowd and saw Narumi. "Hey, Naru!" she called out. "Did you come here to take a picture with Mikan?" She was holding two photographs in her hand—the ones that were taken a while ago.

"Well, no, but it seems kind of tempting," Narumi replied. "But I'm actually here to remind Mikan-chan of the play. It's today."

"And I can't wait for it. Mikan always does her best in acting." Yuka placed the photographs carefully into her breast pocket and lightly tapped it. "Hey, Naru…" Her face suddenly darkened as she looked up at Narumi.

"What is it, Yuka-senpai?"

"Have you been informed about it?" Yuka crossed her arms over her chest. "You see, Reo and his two minions are around somewhere here in the Academy." She shifted her eyes to her daughter and sighed. With Reo around, she knew her daughter wasn't safe. It was a good thing the whole Academy keeps an eye on her. During her trip in Osaka together with Sakurano Shuuichi, Narumi called her and informed her of what happened to Mikan when Reo infiltrated the school. Under that circumstance, any mother would feel nervous and scared for her daughter, but thankfully Narumi called her the next day to say that she was fine. Still, because of that, she wanted to see Mikan right away. She canceled her mission in Osaka and hurried back to the school, though it took her a while to get there. She just didn't show her anxious face to Mikan when she saw her again.

"Yeah, I know," Narumi replied grimly as he stroked his soft blonde hair. "We can't let our guard down, right, senpai?"

Yuka turned to Narumi and nodded. "Of course we can't. We can't let the organization take Mikan away." She then lowered her head as she thought about the people working in the AAO. The AAO's leader, who had returned after being gone for so long, was an evil and cunning man. Yuka would be devastated if Mikan will fall into his hands. "We just can't let that person do what he wants."

"Senpai, we'll all protect Mikan-chan," Narumi said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You, Natsume-kun and I… Everyone…"

Her lips curved into a gentle smile filled with gratitude. She touched his hand on her shoulder and said, "Thanks, Naru…"

"Oh my gosh!" some high school girls squealed. They were standing a few inches away from Yuka and Narumi, and presently they were gawking at them. "Narumi-sensei, don't tell me she's your girlfriend?" one girl said in disappointment.

Yuka quickly brushed his hand off her shoulder and shook her head. "I'm not his girlfriend. Please don't misunderstand us," she said straight to the point.

"I'm going to graduate next year, sensei," another girl said, hugging Narumi-sensei's arm tight. "And after that, I can finally marry you. So, you can't see other girls beside me, okay?"

The other girls started complaining to the girl hugging Narumi, and Yuka just sweat dropped. "Naru, you're still popular as usual," Yuka slyly said. "But I never thought you would flirt with younger girls. You're such a loli—"

"It's not like that, senpai!" Narumi said, but Yuka just narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

Another girl stepped out of the crowd and faced Yuka shyly. "Um…Azumi-sama, you already had a husband, right? Then please don't take sensei away from us." She fiddled with her fingers as she said that.

Yuka chuckled and patted Narumi's back. "I have no plans of taking him, so don't worry about it." She winked an eye at the girls before she spun on her heels. "You can have him." And with that, she started walking away.

"Ah! Senpai, wait!" Narumi tried to follow her, but the girl hugging him was so strong that she wouldn't let go. It was then he remembered that the girl had the Alice of Strength. "I really appreciate your feelings and all…" He wasn't able to finish for the girls surrounded him in an instant like a pack of hungry wolves. There were fan girls for sure—crazy ones to be exact.

Yuka strolled down the path towards the Technical Class. When she got there, she spotted Natsume looking through some mangas at a comic book booth. She approached him right away and greeted him with a warm smile. "Hello there, Natsume-kun…"

The raven-haired lad looked at his future mother-in-law and slightly bowed his head to acknowledge her.

"You really love mangas, do you? I think Mikan reads them too."

"She does. Her preferred genre is Shoujo and romance." He carefully placed the manga back to its original place and pulled out another one with a different title. "Typical for someone like her." He started scanning the manga and read some pages, but he didn't find it interesting. Sighing, he put it back and checked another one.

"Aren't you going to check up on Mikan?" Yuka said as she looked at the several Shoujo mangas on the shelf. She pulled one out and gazed at the cover. The art was a picture of an innocent-looking girl surrounded by Cherry Blossom petals. Yuka found it to be very beautiful and the girl looked a lot like Mikan up close. "You know, Mikan is wearing another beautiful costume today. I think she's Belldandy now. Her costume is really attracting people."

And Natsume's eyebrows twitched when he heard that. He was supposed to be watching over her at the Cosplay World, but the shadow manipulator forbade him to enter to prevent any 'fire accidents'. He would love to see Mikan in her new costume. Yet, his face remained placid as he continued to browse through different Shounen mangas.

"Natsume-kun, you may not look like it, but you're one nice guy," Yuka said, taking the photographs out of her pocket. "Mikan always talks about you in her mails. She really loves you." She grabbed Natsume's hand and placed one photo on his palm. "Please continue to love and protect her, Natsume-kun. I have faith in you." Leaning forward, she gently placed a kiss on his temple and patted his head. With a smile, she spun around on her heels and walked away, leaving a surprised Natsume in place.

Snapping back to reality, Natsume looked at the photograph in his hand. Though not obvious, he smiled a little bit, because the photo featured Mikan and her mother. The mother was right, he silently thought, the costume was beautiful on Mikan. But he was more convinced that the fan boys over at the Cosplay World were going gaga over his girlfriend.

* * *

Mikan went out of the dressing room after changing into her uniform. Her shift was done and she could finally head to the Somatic Class to get ready for the play. Through the open door of the boy's dressing room she could hear Tsubasa and Kyo talking as they were changing. To her surprise, Tsubasa was teasing Kyo about Nonoko. Why Nonoko? Mikan wondered as she approached the dressing room a little closer. She listened to their conversation more, even though she knew eavesdropping was bad, and found out that Nonoko and Kyo were getting friendlier with each other. Of course, Mikan was happy for her two friends.

"I saw you two hanging out at Sweet Angel Café," Tsubasa said, putting his uniform coat on. "Don't try to deny it, Kawashima. It was a date, right?" He sheepishly smiled at his junior.

Kyo firmly shook his head. "It wasn't a date, senpai. We were just eating lunch." He tied his blue necktie properly and proceeded to fix his platinum-blue hair when he faced the mirror. "So stop saying that we're a couple."

Mikan's eyes grew wide at what Kyo said. She knew how her favorite senpai loved to tease other people, especially couples, but she can't quite figure out why Tsubasa-senpai would tease Kyo and Nonoko as a couple. It doesn't make any sense to her. Her friend, Nonoko, had already told her that she was crushing on somebody. And Mikan was sure that Kyo wasn't interested in other girls, even though he was highly popular. The concept of crushes and love were giving her a headache as usual, she admitted.

"Couple or not…" Tsubasa put on his hat and then a smirk on his face. "What do you think of Nonoko-chan? I'm sure you're not dense, Kawashima. You can tell if a girl likes you or anything like that." He wrapped an arm around his neck and rubbed his head hard with his fist.

"S-sen-pai….You're cho-choking m-me…" Kyo said as he struggled to be released from the headlock. And when Tsubasa let go of him, Kyo took a deep breath before he regained his composure. "Senpai, you didn't have to do that."

"Just answer my question, Kawashima," Tsubasa said.

Kyo paused for a moment as he thought about Ogasawara Nonoko. He recalled back the time they walked together to the hospital and the time they ate lunch together at Sweet Angel Café. Honestly, he felt really comfortable being with her. It was almost like being with Mikan, but Nonoko's aura was different. "That girl…I know…I know that she has feelings for me," Kyo said coolly, raking his platinum-blue hair with his fingers. "Though she tends to hide it, it's quite obvious to me that she likes me."

The brunette let out a gasp, which was loud enough to be heard by the two boys inside. Tsubasa and Kyo quickly went out of the dressing room and saw her trying to get away. "Ah! Mikan, wait up!" the senior said, grabbing her hand. "You were eavesdropping, weren't you?"

Mikan lightly chuckled and stuck out her tongue. "I'm sorry about that, senpai, Kyo-kun…" she said and bowed her head. "I didn't mean to."

Kyo heaved a sigh. "Mikan-sama, please raise your head. There's no need for apologies." Spoken like a true gentleman, Kyo had always treated Mikan in a special way. He placed a hand on her shoulders, as she raised her head, and looked at her with gentleness in his heterochromatic eyes. "Mikan-sama, I beg of you to please don't say anything to Ogasawara-san." He had a handsome yet sad smile on his face.

"Kawashima, you're aware of her feelings, but what about you?" Tsubasa asked, scratching the back of his head. "Don't you have eyes only for my little kouhai here?" He patted Mikan's head when he said that.

It was true that he loved Mikan with all his heart, but he had already decided to give up on her. He wanted her to be happy with Natsume, because her happiness was important to him. "I'm still her fan, Tsubasa-senpai," he said, withdrawing his hand and clenching it tight. "But I'm not a rival of Hyuuga Natsume anymore." His eyes were crystal clear and his voice was lively. The way he said those words even surprised Tsubasa.

Mikan looked up at Tsubasa with a smile. "Kyo-kun is a very understanding person, senpai. He did the right thing." He turned back to Kyo and took hold of his hand. "Kyo-kun, is it true that Nonoko-chan likes you?"

Kyo lowered his head. "Yes, I can't be wrong about that." He remembered the adorable blushing face of Nonoko again during the time she handed him the free meal ticket. Her face was really priceless. "I appreciate Ogasawara-san's feelings, but I don't think I can return her feelings."

"Hey, you can't pass out on a girl like Nonoko-chan," Tsubasa said as he gently hit Kyo's head.

"Tsubasa-senpai is right," Mikan added, looking completely thrilled. "Nonoko-chan is a nice girl and I'm sure you two will make a great couple, Kyo-kun."

Okay, Kyo understood what they were getting at, but he simply can't force his heart to love another girl right away. He still had some feelings left for Mikan and those feelings were not easy to erase. But if he'll say something disagreeable, Mikan and Tsubasa would definitely bother him like hell until he would agree with their request. "I'll think about it. You have to give me time."

Tsubasa narrowed his Prussian-blue eyes at the younger boy as he put on a mischievous grin. "I see… You'll think about it…" He placed his hands behind his head and turned to Mikan. "By the way, speaking of time, don't you have a play this afternoon? I'll be looking forward to it."

"AHHH!" Mikan yelled out. "I almost forgot. I have to get ready. Thanks for reminding me, senpai!" Without further ado, she dashed out of the backdoor in record-breaking speed. It was already 10-minutes passed the assembly time. She was late. She can imagine a certain green-haired girl going medusa-mode at her again, much to her chagrin.

"I will definitely watch Mikan-sama's play," Kyo said, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm sure she'll be amazing." His face and voice was full of admiration for the brunette. His love for her may be diminishing, but his admiration for her was still strong.

Tsubasa nodded his head in agreement. "She's really good," he said. "It's not surprising why the Somatic Class wants her for the play. Anyway, how about a bite to eat? I'll treat you." He pointed at himself with his thumb.

"Huh? Are you serious, senpai? Why?"

"It's because I'm a senpai," Tsubasa proudly answered and walked towards the door. "Now, come on, before I change my mind, Kawashima."

Kyo's lips curved into a big smile. "All right, senpai!"

* * *

There were only twenty minutes left before the big performance. The participants, the actors and actresses, the stage crew, and the band were all getting ready, checking everything, making sure that everything will go smoothly. Narumi-sensei was giving out words of encouragement to his students, not to mention some good advices to the performers. The stars of the play were busy going over their lines one more time. They already had their make-up and costumes on. Some of them were feeling a little nervous. The whole auditorium was full of people and animals too.

Ruka and Mikan were done with their little practice. The two of them went to the blue velvet curtain and peeked out. They spotted majority of their friends in the first and second row, all looking very excited. The two Technical Class girls, Anna and Nonoko, were chatting and laughing. Misaki was scolding Tsubasa about something again, and the guy doesn't seem to mind it at all. And beside the couple was her mother, Yuka, followed by Youichi, Sakurano and Subaru. The class representative, Tobita Yuu, was seated on the second row together with the two mischievous boys, Kokoroyomi and Kitsuneme. Next to them sat Nobara and Sugita Aya, uncomfortable and fidgety in their seat because the Sakura Mikan fan club was talking loudly right behind her. Kyo and Asuka had taken their seats right beside the Ice Princess, while Ryou was together with the fan club behind them. And much to Ruka's surprise, Natsume was sitting right next to Kyo.

Mikan smiled blissfully. Everyone was there to watch the performance. She was so happy. She swore to do her best in the play, so that everyone will be amazed. She can't disappoint her friends and her fan club. "Ruka-pyon, good luck to us!" she said cheerfully.

"Yeah, let's do out best," Ruka replied.

"Sakura-san, get over here and help me with my lines!" Shouda Sumire exclaimed, stomping her foot on the floor. Her green hair was pulled back into a bun, and she was wearing a beautiful dark-blue ball gown. Her role was the wicked queen—a perfect character for a girl like her.

"Um…Sure!" Mikan replied uneasily. Knowing Permy, she would give her a hard time again. "Well, Ruka-pyon, I have to go help her again." Sighing, she walked over to the green-haired girl and started the practice.

Ruka gazed upon the brunette as he leaned against the wall. His role in the play was the princess's bodyguard and best friend who later becomes her lover. He was dressed in white formal attire, with a silver vest and brown shoes. A sword was hanged on his left side, completing his bodyguard look. He can't stop looking at Mikan, because she looked so beautiful in her light-pink gown decorated with white laces. Her brown hair was pulled back into a half-ponytail clipped with a heart-shaped pink barrette. Ruka also took notice of the Cherry Blossom necklace she was wearing around her neck and had asked her about it. He wasn't the least bit surprise when he found out it was from Natsume, because he knew that his best friend has a sweet spot for the brunette.

Narumi clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. It was almost time for the performance and he felt the need to make a speech for his students. "Everyone in the audience is expecting another great performance this year. With your skills and enthusiasm, I'm sure this play will be a success. So, everyone, do your best and remember to enjoy it too." Once he was done, the students cheered and bid each other good luck.

Later, the audience in the auditorium was treated to an unforgettable performance of the 'Princess and the Pauper', starring the lovely Sakura Mikan and the animal-lover, Nogi Ruka. With Ruka beside her on the stage, Mikan performed her role perfectly than she had in any of the rehearsals. Sumire was so into her part as well, and the audience got quite scared of her sinister laugh. Ruka had enjoyed sharing romantic moments with Mikan in the play. Everyone working in the play had so much fun. The performers delivered their final lines powerfully and the audience exploded into applause. It was a wonderful, thrilling moment for the actors and actresses on the stage, as the lights slowly dimmed. When the lights brightened up, all of the cast were lined up on stage, presenting their best smiles to the audience.

The Sakura Mikan fan club were roaring, and Ryou, being the representative, was waving a banner for everyone to see. Natsume had his usual poker-face on, but it was apparent in his eyes that he enjoyed the play, despite the romantic moments between Mikan and Ruka. Mikan's other friends were also clapping and smiling. As for Yuka, she was so proud of her daughter.

"Mikan-chan was splendid," Asuka cooed and giggled like a sweet little girl. "And she looked absolutely cute in my costume!" She closed her eyes and held her cheeks with both hands. She started thinking about Mikan in her costumes again and smiled like an airhead.

Kyo narrowed his eyes at his own sister. "Nee-chan, you're giving me the creeps," he bluntly stated.

In a blink of an eye, Asuka pulled out her trusty paper fan out of nowhere and whacked Kyo on the head. "Well, sorry for giving you the creeps, dear sweet brother," she said in a dangerous tone.

Kyo rubbed his poor head. "Nee-chan, you didn't have to hit me," he said, restraining himself from shouting at her. He didn't want to create a scene with his older sister, knowing how unruly she can be. Honestly, it was a pain for him to have an overly energetic and violent sister like Asuka. He only heard her shrug before she left her seat. Kyo immediately asked her where she was going, and Asuka gave him a sadistic smile. "That smile is also giving me the creeps…" he muttered in a low voice just to save him from getting hit.

"Three people from the Technical Class were in charge of the taping the whole play," Asuka said. "I'm going to ask them to reserve a copy for me. That play was just too great and I would love to watch Mikan-chan again. Do you want me to reserve a copy for you too?"

"Really?" Kyo would love to watch the play again. "Sure, please do." And when he said that, Asuka held out her hand like she wanted something from him. Kyo blinked twice before he realized Asuka's intention.

"You have to pay me, brat," Asuka said, opening and closing her hand.

Kyo raised a brow, thinking absurdly of his sister. "Damn you…" he muttered under his breath. His sister was always a money-hungry girl and she doesn't hesitate to make him pay. Well, Kyo knew the reason why Asuka was so big on business and money, but sometimes her greediness can go overboard.

* * *

"It's such a nice night," Mikan said when she and Natsume got to the roof of the dormitory. They were already in their night attires. "The stars are pretty. I wanna see a shooting star." The night air was breezy and cool, and carried the pleasant smell of the flowers. High above the sky, the brilliant moon illuminated its pale light and the stars twinkled remarkably. It was a night that Mikan would always enjoy, and there was nothing more fun but to spend star-gazing with her boyfriend. The play was over, everyone in the Somatic Class had celebrated in joy, and she got congratulated by her mother and her friends for a job well done. It had been a wonderful day for her.

Natsume pulled out a photograph from his pocket—the same photograph Yuka gave him earlier—and looked at it. The resemblance of the mother and daughter was incredible, and he can't take his eyes off of Mikan who was in a 'Belldandy' Costume. He placed it back into his pocket. He was going to place it in a nice frame once he gets back to his room. He glanced at his girlfriend and smiled a little when he saw her innocent face as she admired the stars above.

"Tomorrow's the Last Dance," Mikan said, shifting her eyes from the stars to Natsume. "You know, at first, I was totally clueless about the real meaning of the Last Dance. They say you will be together with person you last danced forever. I guess it's true. You've been my Last Dance over the years and we're still together."

Natsume sighed an exasperated tone. "Even without the stupid dance, we can still end up together," he said, draping an arm over her shoulders. "And about you being clueless…You're totally right. Until now, you're still clueless about most things, polka-dots."

A vein popped out of her head. "What's that suppose to mean?!" she uttered, hitting his chest softly with a clenched fist. "And stop calling me polka-dots!"

The raven-haired lad poked her temple and sighed. "Whatever, ichigo-kara…" He teased her with another name, which annoyed Mikan even more.

"I just remembered…" Mikan placed a finger on her cheek. "You first called me ichigo-kara at the Haunted House Attraction. Really, Natsume, you're such a pervert. I can't believe you also enjoy harassing me."

"Do I have to explain myself?" Natsume said nonchalantly. "You already know the reason."

Giggling, Mikan poked his cheek and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Yeah, I know," she said. "So, are you sleeping in my room tonight?"

As much as he wanted to, Natsume thought it was best not to. "Your mom is here," he replied her. "If she catches us, then I'm dead."

"Oh, yeah, Okaa-san always visits me every morning when she's here," Mikan said as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "That means no fun for you." She winked a playful eye at him and giggled.

Natsume shrugged and rolled his eyes away. "Whatever…" His hands snaked around her petite waist. "I can still have my fun here, polka-dots." He leaned his temple against hers and focused his crimson eyes on her amber ones. He could see her cheeks turning red, making him smirk proudly. He then brushed his hand through her hair. He had always loved the tingling sensation every time he touches her silky hair.

During their dear moment, Mikan yawned and rubbed her eyes sleepily. It was getting late and it was time for bed. "We're going to be very busy tomorrow as well," she said as she stood up and stretched out her arms. "Let's get some sleep, Natsume."

"Be sure to wake up on time," Natsume said jadedly and got up. "But knowing you, I'm sure you'll sleep in."

Mikan puffed up her cheeks. "No, I will not!" she exclaimed. "My alarm clock is going to help me wake up. You know, the one Hotaru gave me."

"It doesn't always work. You can't depend on that freak's inventions all the time, polka-dots."

"Hey, stop calling Hotaru a freak and quit calling me polka-dots. I have a name, Natsume."

"Lower you voice down or else you'll wake everybody up, Mikan." Natsume words were rough at first and then it turned a bit soft when he mentioned her name. He touched the brunette's cheek with an infinitely light hand. Mikan no longer held a pissed expression. Her face was flushed red. And then, Natsume smiled. It was a real smile—not a smirk or a grin—and made Mikan smile like an angel.

"You should smile often, Natsume. You look a lot better with a smile." Mikan's voice was as soft as a summer breeze. She took hold of his hand on her cheek and gently squeezed it. "But you don't like to show this side to anyone, right? I understand." She pulled Natsume towards the window, careful not to slip and fall.

When they got back inside, they bid each goodnight and retired to their rooms. Tomorrow was a big day for them. The Awarding Ceremony and the Last Dance were something Mikan was looking forward to. Instead of worrying about her Last Dance, she was thinking of whom to dance first. She was also curious about Kyo and Nonoko. She had no idea Nonoko's crush was her fellow Special Ability classmate. She hoped Kyo would be her Last Dance. On the other hand, Natsume went to sleep as soon as he lay down on his bed.

* * *

On the morning of the Awarding Ceremony, the teachers and students of all classes were lined up in front of the open stage of the Academy. The stage was set, the trophies were displayed on the table, the emcee was adjusting his microphone, and the Student Council members and the three Principals were already seated. The emcee started off the program with a lively greeting and introduced the principals respectively. After that, the Student Council President delivered his opening remarks. When the speech was done, the emcee took center stage once again and thrilled the audience by announcing the awards. Everyone was excited to find out who will win.

"First up is the King of Alice Award," the emcee announced, holding up an envelope his hand. He tore open the envelope and pulled out the paper inside. The winner of last year's King of Alice Award was Andou Tsubasa, he recalled with a smile. And he was pleased to tell everyone that the winner of this year's Kind of Alice was another Special Ability student. "The award goes to Kawashima Kyo of the Special Ability Class."

"Kawashima-kun!!" The crowd of fan girls went crazy. "Kyo-sama!" They were clapping, yelling out his name continuously, and cheering.

The Special Ability Class congratulated Kyo for his award, and Tsubasa even shook hands with him. Kyo was quite flattered with the cheers and support he was getting. Ryou ran all the way from the Latent Ability Class to the Special Ability Class just to congratulate his best friend. Kyo deserved the award very much. Not only was he popular, he was also a model student and a genius, and Ryou was really proud of him.

Kyo went up the stage to receive his award. He briefly glanced at Mikan, who was waving a hand at him, and smiled at her. But then he grimaced at the sight of Natsume, who was giving him a death glare. Kyo swallowed hard and took his trophy before he faced the crowd. The fan girls were all cheering for him, and Kyo presented them with a handsome smile. At that moment, the fan girls all sighed dreamily. And then, Kyo saw Nonoko among the Technical Class. He gave her a different smile, a gentler one, which made Nonoko blush like crazy.

Anna lightly laughed. "Good for you, Nonoko-chan," she said.

"Well, yes." Nonoko stared at the ground. "I'm really happy for Kawashima-kun…"

"We'll proceed to the next one, the Queen of Alice award!" the emcee announced, and the crowd's cheer quickly died down. They were anxious to know who will be the top lady for the festival. Harada Misaki, the doppelganger, won the award last year. The emcee pulled the paper from the envelope and read the name of the winner. His lips curved into a smile as he faced the audience. "Ladies and gentlemen, the Queen of Alice goes to Sakura Mikan-sama of the Special Ability Class."

This time the fan boys roared loudly, while the others clapped their hands happily. The winner was another Special Ability Student, and it was such a great honor for the class. Ryou was already waving the fan club banner high and Asuka was squealing in delight in her seat.

"I won…" Mikan muttered in surprise. She wasn't expecting to win an individual award. She stood up and walked over the emcee. "This is a big shock for me, but I'm really happy." When she received her trophy, she turned to the audience and raised it high.

The crowd applauded louder and louder—even the principals and the student council had joined the clapping.

"Thank you, everyone!" Mikan said. She waved her hand at the crowd as she returned to her seat beside Natsume. "Isn't it great, Natsume? Me, winning an award..." She hugged her trophy like a stuffed toy, and Natsume just raised a brow. Still, Natsume was happy for his girlfriend.

The emcee proceeded to announce the winner of the 'Rookie of the Year' award, which was a sixth grade student from the Somatic Class. Sumire started laughing like a witch as she patted the winner's shoulder. The elementary student turned out to be Sumire's junior. Sumire started boasting that her junior won because of her, and everyone in the Somatic Class, including Ruka, sweat dropped.

Next up was the Special Award. This is the award that was always dominated by the Special Ability Class ever since Mikan came to Alice Academy. The Special Ability Class was expecting to win it again, but that doesn't seem to be the case. The emcee had a surprised look on his face when he found out who won. "The Special Award goes to the Latent Ability Class!" Of course, the said class was thrilled when he said that, but the Special Ability Class was kind of shocked.

Mikan let out a sigh. "And I thought we would win this year too," she said.

As soon as the representative of the Latent Ability Class took the trophy and went back in line, the emcee pulled out the next envelope to announce the next award. "Now this is the moment we've been waiting for! I will now announce the winner of the Alice Championship Award." Tension was filling up in the air, and the emcee could feel it. Everyone was staring at him, as he slowly pulled out the paper from the envelope. A smirk crossed his face as he faced the crowd. "The Best Class for this year goes to the Special Ability Class, everyone!"

At that moment, everyone had mixed expression on their faces, but a few seconds later they burst to cheering. The Special Ability Class was taken by surprise. To think they actually won the Championship award was something they wouldn't even dream of. They were always set on winning the Special Award that they didn't mind the other awards. It was a big accomplishment for them. The other classes were also happy for them.

Mikan couldn't contain her excitement in her seat any longer. She stood up and ran towards her own class to join them in the cheer, much to the Student Council's surprise. She got hugged by Misaki and Tsubasa a lot, which got Natsume irritated, and she shook hands with Kyo. "Everyone really did their best with the Cosplay World," she said. "But we really have to thank Kyo-kun for such a wonderful idea."

Kyo slightly blushed and lowered his head. "Mikan-sama, you're too kind. I can't take all the credit for myself. Everyone made the Cosplay World a success."

Tsubasa strangled Kyo with one arm and rubbed his head playfully. "Come on, don't be so humble, Kawashima," he said.

"Hey, stop wasting time with Kawashima and get your butt over to the stage, Tsubasa," Misaki said, pulling Tsubasa by the ear. "Remember, you're the representative of this class. Act more responsible." She released him and folded her arms.

"All right…" Tsubasa snickered. "Whatever you say, Misaki." And so, Tsubasa casually walked up the stage and received the trophy in behalf of the Special Ability Class.

The Awarding Ceremony was fun and exciting, and the students were all smiles. The ceremony ended after the emcee made his announcements about the Last Dance and with the closing remarks of the Vice-president of the Student Council. The students will now be busy preparing for the Last Dance tonight.

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: I'm planning something big for Nonoko and Kyo. I don't know why but I've grown to like this pairing. This chapter was about happy moments. The little Natsume and Mikan moment there was an idea I got when I went star-gazing with my cousin on the rooftop of his house. The next chapter will be the Last Dance. It will be the last chapter before things get serious again. A friend of mine actually pm me if I was planning to place my OCs of **Forgotten Memories** here. I'm still thinking about it, but she really insists on it because she loves my OCs. Oh well, please do give me your reviews. No flaming!


	18. The First to the Last Dance

JC: Since our little naïve Mikan is so popular with the boys, for sure there are lots of boys who would want to dance with her. Who will get the first dance? I'm not telling. But the last dance is surely Natsume.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 18: The First to the Last Dance

To mark the start of the Dance, a large bonfire must be lighted. A middle-school student from the Latent Ability Class with the Alice of Fire was already up on the stage, getting ready. She had a bow and arrow in her hands and was wearing 'Miko' clothes. With her long flowing black hair, she definitely looked like 'Kikyou' from Inuyasha. As the president of the student council gave her the signal, she lit up the tip of the arrow with fire and positioned to shoot. Getting the aim right, she released the arrow, sending it flying towards the large torch.

Once the fire was lighted, the music and the dancing started, but some began feasting on the delicious food on the buffet table. The theme for the Last Dance was Asian Tradition, so everyone's costumes and the decorations were very traditional and elaborate. The elementary division had chosen the Thailand style, while the middle school division wore Japanese outfits, and as for the high school division they all wore traditional Chinese outfits. Some of the costumes were even combined with modern styles and the students seemed comfortable wearing them.

Natsume and Ruka were sitting at one table, munching some appetizers they got from the buffet table. The flame-caster was wearing a crimson kimono decorated with orange butterfly patterns. Ruka's kimono was dyed in sky-blue and it had exquisite floral designs on it. A lot of girls from their fan club had asked them to dance, but they refused. Natsume didn't want to dance with any girl other than Mikan, while Ruka wanted to have the first dance with Mikan. When more girls kept bugging them, Sumire appeared out of nowhere and scared the girls away. Well, it was her job as fan club president to take care of Natsume and Ruka.

The Kawashima siblings, Kyo and Asuka, had just finished dancing—even though it was more like a foot-stomping contest to others—and sat down together with Natsume and Ruka. Asuka looked very elegant in her midnight-blue Chinese outfit with a long slit on the right and her platinum-blue hair was tied in twin buns. Kyo, on the other hand, was clad in a midnight-blue kimono with silver blossom petals for design.

"Does you foot still hurt, brat?" Asuka said, snickering like a sly fox. She had won their little contest and she didn't hesitate to rub it in at Kyo. "You were so bad at dancing."

"I'm only bad at dancing when you're my partner, Nee-chan," Kyo retorted in an almost calm manner. "And do you even call that dancing?"

Asuka smirked. "Just admit that you're bad at dancing," she said, but Kyo just shook his head. "By the way, where's Ryou?"

Kyo sighed and pointed his finger at a certain direction. "He's over there, flirting as usual."

Asuka turned to the direction of his finger and saw Ryou dancing with two beautiful high school girls. She almost fell out of her chair in surprise. "My, that's Ryou for you…" She chuckled to herself. "He's such a ladies-man."

"Putting Ryou aside," Kyo said as he turned to Natsume. "Where's Mikan-sama, Hyuuga?" He still hadn't seen her since the dance started. He wondered if Mikan was still getting ready. He knew how girls like to take their time in the dressing rooms.

"I have no obligation to answer you," Natsume said, rolling his eyes away. Before he knew it, he was whacked on the head by a paper fan courtesy of Asuka. He shot the girl a death glare as he stood up from his chair. "You seriously have a death wish…" He lit his palm with his Fire Alice to threaten Asuka.

Asuka put away her paper fan, crossed her legs and arms, and looked up at Natsume. "I do have a wish, but it's not a death wish," she started. "Honestly, you've gotta learn to chill, Fire Boy." She was showing no fear or hesitation.

"Nee-chan, stop provoking Hyuuga," Kyo said before he turned to Natsume. He slightly bowed his head and apologized for his sister. However, in doing that, Asuka got pissed and hit him with her paper fan. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Ruka and Natsume just sweat dropped.

Asuka tapped the paper fan on her shoulder. "What are you apologizing for? It's not like I did anything wrong to Hyuuga here."

"You can just say so, instead of hitting me with that stupid fan of yours," Kyo said, rubbing his head in dismay.

Natsume put out his fire and sat down again. "These two are annoying," he blurted out, and luckily the siblings weren't able to hear it because they were arguing.

Ruka laughed at his statement. "I have to agree, but they are kinda fun," he told Natsume.

Just then, Natsume and Ruka started hearing whispers and murmurs, and it wasn't until Ryou shouted out Mikan's name that they turned their heads around. The fan boys, Ruka and even Natsume himself couldn't help but gaped at the arriving princess. Asuka was already in her otaku-mode again as she began taking pictures of Mikan with her trusty camera. Mikan was clad in one of Asuka's masterpieces again. Though it wasn't supposed to be a cosplay, Asuka thought the costume will be perfect for the theme. Mikan unquestionably looked good in her 'Lacus Clyne' commander outfit—the one from Gundam SEED Destiny and her ponytail was tied with a red ribbon. The black kimono with purple linings was mid-thigh and the long white vest added more impact to the costume. Overall, Mikan was drop dead gorgeous as Lacus Clyne, and the boys all liked the costume.

"Nee-chan, you've outdone yourself this time," Kyo muttered in admiration, his cheeks turning red. "It's like the perfect costume for her." His sister was too busy taking pictures of Mikan that she didn't hear a word he said, and he just sweat dropped when Asuka ran over to Mikan and hugged her.

"Mikan-chan, you're super cute!" Asuka said as she released the brunette. "Just look at the attention you're getting."

Of course, Mikan noticed the attention she was getting the moment she arrived. "Thank you for lending me this costume, Asuka-senpai," Mikan said.

"My pleasure!" Asuka chirped. "And who said anything about lending? As of this moment, that costume is yours!"

Before Mikan could say anything, Hibiki Ryou approached the brunette and held her hand. "Mikan-sama, you're beautiful as always," he said and kissed her hand softly. "Now that you're here, please let me have the honor of being your first dance." He showed her a gentleman's smile, making his own fan girls giggle and coo.

It was all right for her to dance with Ryou, but she already has someone else in mind for the first dance. Ryou wasn't going to give her a choice, since he was already pulling her to the dance floor. And then, someone threw an apple at Ryou's head. "Who did that?!" he yelled, turning around. His hazel eyes immediately faced the crimson eyes of Natsume. "Hyuuga, you bastard, are you trying to stop me? Since I can't have the Last Dance with Mikan-sama, I might as well be her first dance. So, let me be already."

Without any warning, Natsume dragged his best friend over to Mikan and pushed him towards her. "He's going to have the first dance with her," Natsume told Ryou. Nothing but seriousness was in his voice. "Got any complaints?"

Ryou gritted his teeth. "But I asked her first. I should be the one—" He wasn't able to continue because Asuka and Kyo appeared behind him and hit his head. Kyo used his bare fist while Asuka used her paper fan. Two large lumps were formed on Ryou's head as he lay feeling all dizzy on the floor.

"Will he be all right?" Mikan asked out of concern.

Kyo grabbed one of Ryou's feet and turned to smile at Mikan. "Oh, this guy has a hard head. He'll be fine. Now, please enjoy the dance, Mikan-sama." And with that, he dragged his best friend away from the dance floor.

Natsume heaved a sigh. "I'll be at the table if you need me," he said, looking bored and cold as usual. He was planning to sit around and wait for the Last Dance. He wasn't going to dance with anyone at the moment.

But Mikan wanted his boyfriend to enjoy the party like the others. She knew how aloof and unfriendly he was, but there was no harm in dancing with others. Well, maybe dancing with his fan girls would be troublesome for him, so Mikan thought it was best if Natsume will dance with someone like Asuka-senpai. "Natsume, why don't you dance with Asuka-senpai for a while?" she said.

Asuka felt her hair standing up and it wasn't because of the sudden chill in the air. "M-Me, dance with Hyuuga?" She pretended to be appalled and disgusted. "I know you're only thinking of your boyfriend, Mikan-chan, but I don't think I can dance with this cold-hearted person here. Is he even a good dancer? I bet he's like a robot." She shook her head and sighed.

Natsume had the urge to burn her. "You're quite conceited, aren't you?" He gave her a stern look.

"Speak for yourself, Hyuuga," Asuka retorted, placing a hand on her hip. "You're undeniably brash and downright rude."

Somehow, the two of them seemed like they were ready to kill each other. The dangerous auras they were emitting didn't give Mikan a good feeling at all. All she wanted was for her boyfriend to have a dance partner till the Last Dance and she didn't expect him to have a war with Asuka.

"The two of them can't get along," Ruka muttered, and Mikan nodded in agreement. "Let's just leave them and have fun. What do you say, Sakura?" He took hold of her hand and smiled at her.

"All right…" Mikan answered hesitantly before she looked up at Ruka. "I guess these two will settle their differences sooner or later."

The music was a classic and rather merry. The couples were dancing gracefully to the music, as lovers gazed upon their partners with passion and care, and friends talked and shared a joyous laughter. Mikan was dancing serenely with Ruka, and she was telling him how much fun she had during the Alice Festival. Mikan truly loved Alice Festivals, and it was a shame that it was drawing to a close. She had spotted some of her friends when Ruka twirled her around and brought her closer to him. She peered over Ruka's shoulder and saw Tobita Yuu dancing with one of their classmates. As Ruka and her changed sides, Mikan saw her two close friends, Anna and Nonoko, dancing with Mochiage and Kitsuneme. Once the music changed into a livelier and upbeat one, Mikan and Ruka changed their pace and danced like expert performers. At this point, Mikan spotted Sumire with Kokoroyomi. Mikan could only wonder how Kokoroyomi was able to dance well, even though Sumire kept nagging him. Oh, well, Kokoroyomi was always an odd yet cute fellow. Harada Misaki was dancing with the Special Ability Class moderator, Noda-sensei, who just came back from another time travel, while Tsubasa was enjoying talking with his guy friends by the buffet table.

"I wonder if Natsume's dancing with Asuka-senpai right now," Mikan muttered, twirling on one foot, as she moved her hands in rhythm.

Ruka's dance movements were as natural as Mikan's, and he was really enjoying spending such an important moment with her. "If you're wondering…" Ruka said as he turned his head at a certain direction. "You can see for yourself." He pointed a finger at the said direction as he continued dancing.

Much to Mikan's surprise, Natsume and Asuka were actually dancing, or rather, trying to step on each other's foot. They were constantly throwing glares at one another as their feet did the work. They may seem to be dancing to others, but Mikan and Ruka knew how those two were.

The music changed again, and this time Mikan danced with Yuu. Others have speculated that Yuu may have a crush on Mikan since the first time he saw her. Well, Yuu did have some sort of feelings for Mikan before, but it wasn't that deep. The two of them were just really good friends.

After dancing with Yuu, Kyo stepped up and asked her to dance with him. Of course, Mikan accepted and took his hand. Kyo was a good dancer and he led the dance with poise and skill that dazzled Mikan and his fan girls. Kyo didn't fail to compliment Mikan about her beauty, as well as her costume and hairstyle. And when Kyo was done, several of his fan girls came and took him away. Ryou immediately approached Mikan and began dancing with Mikan.

"You look more beautiful everyday, Mikan-sama," Ryou said in complete admiration. The music playing at the moment was Waltz music. Ryou had one hand on her waist while the other held her hand. "And the costume suits you so much." Ryou twirled Mikan around and gazed into her lovely eyes.

Mikan giggled and playfully poked his chest. "I bet you say those kinds of things to every girl you meet," she said, and Ryou nodded his head proudly.

"But, among all the other girls, you're the most special for me," Ryou said, his tone of his changed from proud to serene. He placed a hand on her cheek and smiled tenderly at her. "You know, if only Hyuuga wasn't your boyfriend, then I would've…"

Mikan stopped his lips by placing a finger on it. "Please don't say it, Hibiki-kun…" she said. She remembered the words of confession of Kyo the other day, reminding her how dedicated her fan club was to her. She was naïve when it comes to love, but she could still sense Ryou's warm feelings for her. "Hibiki-kun, please understand that I'm happy being with Natsume. You may not like him, but I love him to bits." She presented him a smile.

"Kyo said something to me before…" Ryou lowered his head, as they continued swaying to the music. "If you really love a person, you should think of that person's happiness first. It's kinda deep, but I understand it. Kyo is just the type of person to tell me such things. That guy can be dramatic sometimes."

Mikan nodded her head. She remembered the last time Kyo told her those words and it was the time he said that he'll let go of her. "Kyo-kun is right," she said. "You can't be happy if the person you love the most is unhappy."

"Yeah…" Ryou said and stopped dancing. "Mikan-sama, I know you're happy with Hyuuga, but I can't hold back my feelings for you. I hope you'll still allow me to love you."

"All right…" she said. "As long as you don't come up with challenges anymore…"

Ryou's jaw dropped. "Oh, yeah…right, the challenge with Nogi and Hyuuga…" He chuckled nervously. "So, you found out about it, huh?" He scratched the back of his head.

"Don't worry, I'm not mad," Mikan said, patting his shoulder to assure him.

Ryou regained his composure and clasped Mikan's hands in his. "You're so kind, Mikan-sama," he uttered brightly. "Thanks!" After that, he excused himself from her like a gentleman and approached some gorgeous girls at a table.

Mikan decided to take a break from dancing and went back to the table. She noticed that her boyfriend was missing from the dance floor and Asuka was already dancing with another guy. She wondered where he ran off to. Her eyes wandered all over the place in search for Natsume, but she only saw Misaki-sensei and Narumi-sensei surrounded by their female students. It seemed like Misaki-sensei was still reluctant to dance with the girls, while Narumie-sensei was already picking out his partner. Just then, someone tapped her shoulder to get her attention. Mikan turned her head and looked up only to see her mother, Azumi Yuka, who was dressed in a white Chinese outfit with red-linings and a long slit and her hair was tied in a cluttered bun.

"Hi, Okaa-san!" Mikan greeted cheerfully.

"I saw you dancing a while ago," Yuka said as she took a seat beside Mikan. "I took some pictures with my cam. You look like you're having fun, Mikan."

Mika nodded her head. "The dance party is always fun for me!" she said cheerfully. "But I can't wait for the Last Dance."

"You're going to dance with Natsume-kun, right?"

"Of course!"

Yuka took a moment to scan her daughter from head to toe, thinking how stunning Mikan was in her costume. "Mikan…" she began as she placed a hand on her shoulder. "Can you remove your vest? I want to see how your costume looks without it."

"Okay," Mikan replied and stood up. She removed her vest and hung it on the chair. "So, how do I look?"

Not another second, Yuka was already clicking away with her camera. Mikan looked absolutely sexy without the vest. The black sleeveless kimono with purple and pink linings and the long black fingerless gloves made her look like a ninja. "It's so nice, Mikan," Yuka said after taking a few more shots. "The one who made that costume is very good."

"Yup, really good! Asuka-senpai is the best."

The mother and daughter had a good and heart-warming conversation for the past ten minutes. It was only after Yuka was asked by Noda-sensei to dance with him that Mikan saw Tsubasa and Nobara dancing together. Tsubasa was wearing an emerald-blue Chinese outfit with silver dragon prints, and Nobara was clad in a black sleeveless Chinese dress and the side of her hair was clipped with a dragon barrette. Mikan was happy that Nobara was enjoying her time. The Ice Princess was always shy and timid around others, and she was feared by most students. It was a good that Tsubasa was able to make her feel comfortable around him.

As the music ended, Tsubasa and Nobara approached Mikan at the table, and the young brunette quickly got up and hugged them. "Mikan-chan, you look so cute," Nobara said, as Mikan released her from the hug.

"Thanks, but you look so cute too, Nobara-chan!" Mikan said, and the Ice Princess just blushed silently.

"Kouhai…" Tsubasa grabbed Mikan's hand and pulled her towards him. Patting her head, Tsubasa grinned and said, "How about a dance with me?"

Without hesitation, Mikan dragged her senior to the dance floor. The two started dancing as soon as the ballroom music started. Tsubasa tickled Mikan from time to time and laughed along with her. Tsubasa also told her funny jokes, which made her laugh so much, and then he told her about his day with Misaki. Tsubasa and Misaki became an item almost at the same time as Mikan and Natsume. Tsubasa had to admit that Misaki liked playing hard to get, but she was worth his time. Tsubasa loved MIsaki very much, but he also adored his little junior. As Mikan's favorite senior, he was always there to care and support her. He was a dependable senior.

Mikan danced with Narumi-sensei next. Being a father figure to Mikan was wonderful for Narumi. He had always remembered the first time she called him 'Otou-san' and he really liked the sound of that. He sometimes wished that he was the real father of Mikan instead. He still has feelings for Mikan's mother and he can't imagine himself falling in love with another girl. He wasn't the type to use his Alice to force Yuka to fall in love with him either. He knew how Yuka loved Mikan's father and he respected that.

The young brunette had also enjoyed dancing with the next batch of boys, which consisted of Noda-sensei, Misaki-sensei, Kokoroyomi, Kitsuneme, Mochiage, Megane-senpai of the Special Ability Class, the cold and cool Dr. Imai Subaru, and the dashing Sakurano Shuuichi. Of course, before the final event of the night, young Hijiri Youichi had also danced with Mikan, and he was in his 17-year old form. The lad still held a stoic expression even when he began talking about their kiss at the Cosplay World. He had sincerely apologized to her, though his expression seemed cold, and Mikan had told him that it was okay since it was just an accidental kiss.

* * *

The most awaited event of the night had finally come, and every couple was anxious to dance with the love of their life. The Last Dance had a popular tradition. They say that you'll be with person you last danced forever and ever. It was a popular belief that many students had taken seriously, especially the girls. Every student who had walked up the stage to call out their partners was greeted by warm cheers from the audience.

Kawashima Asuka had chosen Hibiki Ryou, since majority of the guys who wanted to dance with her had romantic interest in her. Plus, she was more comfortable with Ryou because they have been friends for so long. Harada Misaki had chosen her hot and sexy boyfriend, Andou Tsubasa. The two of them have been each other's Last Dance for many years and they were still together. Many people have regarded them as a married couple. Azumi Yuka had also gone up to the stage, and many guys were awed by her beauty, and she looked young despite being a mother. She had picked Narumi-sensei, much to the teacher's surprise and the fan girls' disappointment. And the rest went on and one by one the couples occupied the dance floor.

"Nonoko-chan, this is not the time to be shy," Anna said, dragging her best friend towards the stage. Nonoko wanted to dance with Kyo, but she hesitated to go up the stage because of her shyness. Anna understood Nonoko's feelings, so she kept pushing her to go for it. "Nonoko-chan, you can't just stand still and do nothing. If you really want Kawashima-kun to notice your feelings, then you have to make a move."Anna patted her friend's shoulder and turned her towards the stage.

Heart in a swirling motion, Nonoko lowered her head and fiddled with her fingers. "I don't know about this, Anna-chan," she said. What if Kyo wanted to dance with another girl? What if Kyo doesn't want to dance with her? What if Kyo doesn't want to dance at all? What if Kyo's fan girls will kill her? These questions kept repeating in her head several times, and she didn't know what to do.

"Don't be scared, Nonoko-chan," Anna said after heaving a sigh. "Be confident."

Nonoko looked up and peered over her shoulders to gaze upon her pink-haired best friend. "Okay…" she said with a small smile. "I'll do it." But she didn't have the opportunity to do so because Kyo had called out her name from the stage. Nonoko's eyes widened in an instant and she looked up at the stage where Kyo was standing.

"Ogasawara-san, may I have the Last Dance with you?" he asked her, bowing like a true gentleman, as Nonoko blushed madly.

Anna hugged Nonoko from behind and giggled. "You're so lucky, Nonoko-chan!" she exclaimed happily. "Kawashima-kun actually called you. This is so great."

Kyo jumped down from the stage and approached the blushing blue-haired girl. "Ogasawara-san…" he muttered her name in a luscious way as he held out his hand. "Let us dance…" His heterochromatic eyes grew more serene when he said that.

Nonoko felt like she was going to burst. Her heart was pounding like a big drum and for sure her face was as bright as a red bulb. The mere fact of Kyo asking her to dance was something she didn't expect. Yes, she was happy inside, but she was also shocked. She opened her mouth to reply, but her words came out in brief murmurs and stutters.

Anna could only sigh at her best friend, but she was ready to support her. Giving Nonoko a light shove, Anna bid her good-luck and walked back to her group of classmates.

"No need to be shy, Ogasawara-san," Kyo said, and Nonoko nodded reluctantly. As her lips curved into a shy yet cute smile, Nonoko placed her hand on top of his. Kyo clasped her hand firmly but gently and brought her to the dance floor.

Finally it was Mikan's turn, and as soon as she stepped up on the stage, her fan boys burst to cheer. She simply waved her hand at them as she presented her trademark smile. When the emcee handed her the microphone, she searched the crowd for her boyfriend and found him standing beside Ruka. "Of course, I want to have the Last Dance with Natsume!" she said cheerfully. The crowd had expected that from her, and even though the fan boys despised Natsume, they just remained cool.

The couples danced gracefully to the sound of classical music, each of them going in their own pace. Some were acting kind of shy and awkward, some were intimate, while others seemed like they were fooling around. Tsubasa wasn't joking around Misaki this time, and he was really sweet with her as he danced. Narumi-sensei was just plain happy that he was dancing with his favorite senior and Yuka felt the same way. Nonoko had become comfortable with Kyo after a while, and it was all thanks to Kyo's attitude. For Mikan and Natsume, they looked like they were in their own world. Their gazes were lock on one another and their bodies were so close. Indeed, the Last Dance was a memorable event for couples.

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: This chapter was all about the Dance and nothing more. The next chapter will have more intimate moments between our favorite couple. I'm also adding up Nonoko and Kyo moments as well. I find them rather cute. The plot is going to thicken from this point onwards. Are you ready for it? Well, I am! Be sure to review this chapter, okay? No flaming.


	19. The Phantom Lover

JC: Chapter 19 everyone! I think this story is going beyond 30 chapters. I am full of ideas and I really want them to be all in the story. I'm also writing a new Gundam SEED Fic. I don't think I'll post it anytime soon. But if you're fans of Gundam SEED, be sure to read it once it's posted. I want to tell you guys that this chapter involves a little horror. Anyway, I'm not keeping you guys here any longer. Let's get on with the reading, shall we?

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 19: The Phantom Lover

The Last Dance had ended and most of the people were already retiring back to their dorms. It was already late at night as well. There was no school tomorrow, so the students were assured to have a good night sleep. The cleaning committee was already on the job cleaning the mess up in the area. They were people with Alices of Telekinesis, Magic, and Speed, so it was pretty easy for them to clean the place. They didn't need to break a sweat. The Student Council President and Vice-president had inspected the whole place before they left, while the teachers checked around to see if there were any students left. After making sure the place was spotless and student-free, the teachers all headed back to their dorm. Unknown to them, a young girl and boy had not yet returned to their dormitory, because they decided to spend more time with each other.

Natsume and Mikan were sitting on a patch of grass hidden behind bushes and trees. It was the same place where Natsume first called Mikan by her first name. Mikan was surely taken by surprise when he muttered her name four years ago. She would never forget that event. Their hands were intertwined, and Mikan had her head on Natsume's shoulder. Silence surrounded them for a long moment as the two enjoyed their time gazing at the beautiful stars. The night was very peaceful and the cool breeze felt good against their skin.

For Natsume, no star was brighter than his Mikan. He had found her irresistible—even when she was still ten. Her cute face, her warm smile, and everything about her were breathtaking for him. He couldn't ask for more. Slowly he caressed her smooth cheek, and then he pushed her back gently, tilting her head towards him. "Mikan…" he said in a low voice. His crimson eyes on her big round amber eyes, he brought his mouth down to hers. Her lips, her taste were like current of heat and energy flowing into him. She moaned, and he knew that he had her under his spell again.

He removed her vest as he continued to kiss her senselessly. He pushed her back against the tree and removed the red ribbon holding ponytail, letting her brown tresses to fall down. He continued his playful attention, down to the sensitive column of her neck, teasing her with his lips, his teeth, and his tongue.

"Natsume…" Her eyes drifted closed because she wanted to concentrate on nothing besides him.

One of his hands caressed her cheek. The other worked the strap around her kimono, removing the said clothing from her, exposing her skin to the cool air. His lips curved into a proud smirk when he saw the Sakura necklace around her neck. Slowly, he drove her closer to insanity, his hands cleverly touched her body, stroking back and forth. He felt her heart pounding in her chest, heard her level breathing as he pushed aside her silky hair. Then heartbeats later, he felt her pushing against him, pushing him away, not hard but gradually.

"Natsume…" she muttered. "Let's stop before we lose control of ourselves…" Her face brimming with innocence, she gave him smile.

He sighed. He wasn't going to get what he wanted tonight. He had made love to her twice already, and still he was craving for more. He reminded himself that his future mother-in-law was present in the academy, so he can't act recklessly. He didn't want Mikan's mother to lose trust on him. "Fine then…" he grumbled. He then stood up, patting his kimono for grass bits, and held his hand out for the brunette. "Come on."

Giggling, Mikan took his hand and got up with his help. "Since we don't have school tomorrow, how about a Date?" she asked him, entwining her petite hand with his strong one.

A date would be nice, Natsume thought, but he preferred spending some time with her in bed. Then he mentally slapped himself after thinking such things. Mikan was still waiting for his reply, and he found her puppy-dog look to be so adorable. His girlfriend was so fond of Central town, and he knew she would feel downhearted if he refuses. "Just make sure you're on time, polka-dots, or I'll leave you." He snorted as he rolled his eyes away.

"If you leave me, then I'll get mad at you," Mikan warned in a playful tone as she put on her kimono and vest. She only heard him a raw sigh of frustration from him before she picked up the red ribbon from the ground. By the time she turned to face him, Natsume placed an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Mikan gave him a smile, understanding how sweet her boyfriend can be in his own indifferent ways.

Quietly they started back toward the dormitory. And as they reached the floor where their rooms were, Mikan gave a quick peck on Natsume's cheek and ran towards her bedroom door. She slightly waved her hand at him and bid him, "Good night! Sweet dreams!" Afterwards, she unlocked the door and went inside.

She hummed a sweet tune as she crossed the room. Then she turned to the balcony at the slight and tingling feeling of a cool breeze. Her eyes grew wide as she saw that the door was somewhat open. Had she forgotten to lock it before she left her room? She distinctly remembered not opening the balcony door earlier. She stood there thinking about it a few seconds before she concluded that it must have been the wind. She closed the door before she went to the bathroom.

The idea of soaking herself in the tub was very appealing. But she was getting sleepy, so she settled for a quick shower. After drying off, she pulled on a simple cotton night gown. In the act of turning off the light, she stayed her hand. She suddenly got the feeling of being watched. She studied her surroundings and found nothing strange in her room. Feeling slightly paranoid, she decided to keep the lights on. She pulled the drapes across the balcony door and went to bed. She climbed between the sheets, tugging the covers up to her chin.

She was already half asleep when she saw a shadow pass. A figure of a man about her age dressed in white appeared in front of her. She thought she was dreaming, but when she felt the cold air touch her skin and the bed sheets move, she realized that she wasn't. Her head suddenly ached. She couldn't move. Her blanket was pressing down against her body. She felt like someone was lying down beside her and hugging her. She felt cold air touch her cheek.

Shocked and afraid, Mikan quickly got out of bed and made her way towards Natsume's room. She banged on his doors several times in panic, calling out his name, as her heart pounded like crazy. And when Natsume finally opened the door, she lunged forward and hugged him.

"What is this all about, polka-dots?" Natsume asked her in a very annoyed voice. He was about to get some shut eye when Mikan suddenly banged on his door. At first, he didn't want to open the door, but he could sense the tension in her voice when she was calling out to him. Something was wrong. And he also noticed her trembling as if she saw a ghost.

Mikan told Natsume what had just happened in her room. Her boyfriend told her it was just her imagination and advised her to get some sleep. But Mikan knew what she saw and what she felt. She knew she wasn't imagining things and she asked Natsume if she could sleep in his room for the night.

"Have you forgotten that your mother is here?" Natsume reminded her. "She has the habit of visiting you in the morning."

"But Natsume…I'm really scared," Mikan said in a low and wobbly voice. "I'm not making up stories. You have to believe me. There's something in my room."

Seeing the fear in her eyes, Natsume dragged her back into her room and scanned the place for any signs of the ghost she was talking about. Apparently, there was nobody there but them. He looked back at Mikan, who was still shaking in fear, and sighed in frustration. "You've disturbed me for nothing," he said nonchalantly.

"But I swear it wasn't nothing, Natsume," Mikan said, standing firm. She would never make up scary stories, since she was afraid of ghosts and of the dark. She had to make Natsume believe her.

"You're being a chicken as usual," Natsume said, walking towards her bed. "Since you won't stop nagging about this ghost, I'll sleep with you. I'll just have to make sure I'll wake up early tomorrow." Well, he always liked sleeping with her, so it was no problem for him. But when he pulled the sheets, he froze.

There were red roses everywhere; there were roses on Mikan's bed, petals on the bed sheets, on the pillows, and there were petals scattered on the floor on the other side of the bed. That was too weird, he thought silently. He noticed that the petals on the floor led up to the balcony. He walked over to the balcony door, opened it and went out only to find more red roses. What was going on? What was the deal with the roses?

"N-Natsume…" Mikan crept up behind him, her hands clasped together tight. Seeing those roses made her feel more frightened and uneasy.

Natsume had thought of only one thing to make her feel better, and that was to hug her. He knew how warm and safe she felt in his arms, and knowing that she was scared only made his hug tighter. He didn't know whether to believe that it was really a ghost who scattered the roses around or was it just someone pulling a prank. If it was another one of Mikan's fan boys, then he'll surely make that guy pay.

* * *

Mikan woke up feeling down and dizzy the next morning. Nothing had disturbed her in the night since she slept in Natsume's room, but the ghost she saw last night was bothering her mind to bits. What she saw was no illusion for she felt it. She shuddered just by thinking about it and she didn't know if she could step back into her room. She looked at the clock, seeing that it was 6 AM, and sighed. It was still early. Glancing at her side, she found no Natsume on the bed and wondered where he went. She looked around the room for him, but he was nowhere in sight.

She walked out of his room to look for him. When she saw her bedroom door opened, she peeked in and saw her boyfriend fixing her bed. "Natsume?" She went inside and walked up to her boyfriend. She then examined her room and noticed that the rose petals were gone. "You cleaned up the place?" she gasped, clamping her mouth with one hand. She found it hard to believe that her boyfriend actually did some cleaning.

Natsume let out an exasperated sound and looked seriously at her. "You have to be here when your mother checks up on you," he said monotonously. "And what do you think she'll say if she sees those petals around your room?" The reason why he got up so early was not only clean up the mess, but it was also to investigate the room for any clues. Sadly, he found none.

"Are we going to tell this to others, Natsume?" Mikan asked, fiddling with her thumbs.

"I guess so," Natsume replied, reaching out for her cheek. He caressed her cheek gently and pushed some stray locks of hair away from her beautiful amber eyes.

She stared at him, seeing the concerned look in his eyes despite his stoic appearance. Last night was a frightening experience for her. A ghost, out of all things, popped in her room without any warning. Not only that, the ghost was hugging her in bed. What did it want with her? And she can't quite understand why the ghost would leave red roses behind. She didn't know if she could stand another experience like that again.

In order to forget about the ghost, she forced her mind to think of something else like the date. "Natsume, I know it's still early…" she said, curving her lips into a smile. "But let's get ready for our date."

"Fine then," he said, withdrawing his hand from her cheek. "I don't sense any presence in this room aside from us, so it's safe. Just scream if anything happens. I know you're good at that, polka-dots."

"Eh?!" Mikan's expression turned from scared to irritated. "And what do you mean by that? And don't call me polka-dots, Natsume!"

Natsume rubbed her head, completely messing up her hair, and poked her forehead. "You're pretty loud, so use your annoying voice when trouble comes," he said nonchalantly, as Mikan pouted. He knew that teasing her was one way of getting rid of anxiety in her system. "If you still don't like being alone here, then let's take a bath together. Maybe I should help you get dressed as well, huh?" He smirked arrogantly at her.

The brunette flushed madly and shook her head. "Natsume, you're such a big stupid pervert!" she exclaimed, hitting his chest lightly with her fist. She pointed a finger at the door while facing Natsume. "Now, if you don't mind, please leave! I can get ready by myself, you know." And when Natsume just shrugged and refused to move, Mikan dragged him out of her room and shut the door closed immediately.

He surely loved teasing his girlfriend and seeing her get flustered over the stuff he says. Even though getting kicked out of her room was irritating, he was kind of glad that Mikan wasn't thinking about the ghost anymore. Knowing her, she could easily forget her troubles once her mind is set on something else. But he can't help thinking about the ghost and the roses from last night. He hadn't seen the ghost personally, but Mikan told him that it was a guy about their age, a guy dressed in white. It was indeed mysterious, and he had a feeling that the ghost might come back later at night.

He went back to his room and took a short shower. It was after brushing his teeth that he felt a presence behind him. He looked at mirror and saw nobody. Narrowing his eyes in suspicion, he walked out of the bathroom and got dressed. He had picked out a royal blue shirt with red linings, denim pants, and black-red Nike shoes. He also wore a pair of black wristbands and a chain necklace around his neck, thus completing his bad-boy appearance. Satisfied with his look, he went to sit down on the bed and read a manga. He was sure that Mikan would take some time to get ready, since she was a girl, so he can still rest back. As soon as he lay down, he felt wetness. He immediately hopped off the bed and pulled the blanket away. To his surprise, there was red liquid spread out on his bed. He touched the liquid and examined it for a bit, and concluded that it was real blood.

Was this some kind of joke? He clenched his fists tight as he stayed calm. He came up with different possibilities for the presence of the blood there on his bed. It couldn't been Mikan's fault. A girl's menstruation could have not caused such a big bloody mess, of course, so it was out of the question. Besides, his girlfriend would not play such tricks on him. He searched around his room for the perpetrator and for clues, but when he felt a wind blowing pass him, he paused by the door. He could clearly see that the balcony door was closed, so he wondered how the wind got in.

He recalled what Mikan told him last night about the ghost and he was starting to have a bad feeling. He was about to leave the room when he heard footsteps. This was getting creepy, even for someone as fearless as him. He was convinced that somebody was in his room, but he couldn't tell if it was a ghost or somebody it was the Alice of Invisibility. After opening the door, he saw something very disturbing.

Floating in midair was a brunette guy about his age. He was clad in an Alice Academy middle school summer uniform. He was drenched in blood from top to bottom. In his right hand was a sharp knife. He held a rose in his left. Natsume stood there speechless. He backed away a few steps, and the ghostly guy looked at him with his deep green eyes. The ghost extended the bloody arm holding the knife and pointed it at him.

Natsume summoned his flames immediately in his hands. "Who the hell are you?" he asked in a grim voice. It was amazing how he can keep his cool. Other people would usually scream or run away from ghosts. "And what do you want?"

The ghost merely grinned and said, "Die…" After that, he simply vanished into thin air.

Natsume put out his flames and placed a hand on his temple. What he saw was indeed real and maybe dangerous. Although he was successful in being calm, he was a little intimidated by the ghost. But before he could heaved the sigh of relief, he heard Mikan screaming from her room. As an instant reaction, Natsume rushed to her room and found her lying unconsciously on the floor clad only in a towel. "MIKAN! Hey, what happened? Mikan, wake up!" He knelt down and was about to pull her into his arms when all of a sudden the ghost appeared behind.

The ghost pulled him up by his hair and placed the knife near his neck. One sudden movement could mean the end for Natsume. "You don't deserve her…" the ghost whispered in his ear. His voice was pure poison. "I'll make her mine. I swear it."

Natsume felt rage building inside of him. So, the so-called ghost was interested in his girlfriend. "Over my dead body, you bastard," Natsume told the ghost, conjuring a small flame in his palm. He wasn't afraid of the ghost and he was determined to drive him away for Mikan's sake. There was no way he would let a ghost take Mikan away from him.

"Hmph… Then go to hell, you son of a bitch," the ghost said. He was about to slit Natsume's throat with his knife until he heard somebody coming. "Tch. What a nuisance." Quickly, the ghost pushed Natsume toward Mikan with great strength, forcing him to lay on top of her, and after that he disappeared from sight.

"Damn him…" Natsume balanced himself on his elbows and looked down at Mikan. She was still unconscious, and he was sure that the ghost did something bad to her. He just hoped that she'll be all right.

"What's going on here?!" a female uttered.

He turned to look at the doorway only to see Mikan's mother, Azumi Yuka, and Sakurano Shuuichi. His current position would surely give a very bad impression to Yuka and Sakurano. He was already getting bad vibes from the two who had become silent after seeing him. He pushed himself away from Mikan and held her closer to him. He carried the brunette bridal style and once he turned to face the mother, the towel came off and fell down to the floor, much to his utter dismay.

Sakurano turned his head away right away to avoid seeing Mikan naked as Yuka gasped in surprised. Hell broke lose when Yuka marched up to Natsume and slapped his cheek hard. "How dare you?!" she yelled at Natsume. She then took her daughter away from him and covered her up with a robe. "I can't believe you would do such a thing to her, Natsume-kun!"

"You're misunderstanding the situation," Natsume said, rubbing his sore cheek. He'll get more than a slap on the face if he won't explain things to Yuka well. It was natural for a mother to react that way after seeing her very own daughter naked in the arms of a guy, so he understood Yuka. "She was already unconscious by the time I got here."

"Why is she unconscious then?" Yuka asked seriously as she gave Mikan to Sakurano.

"I don't know why she's unconscious, but if you want to blame someone, blame it on the ghost," Natsume explained, though he wasn't sure if Yuka and Sakurano would believe his story about the ghost.

"Are you pulling our leg?" Yuka said, narrowing her gaze at him. "I want the truth, Natsume-kun." She folded her arms in front of her chest and tapped her foot impatiently on the floor.

"You want proof?" Natsume picked up the trash bin beside Mikan's study desk and showed the contents to Yuka and Sakurano. The bin was filled with red roses. "Last night, Mikan told me that she saw a ghost. I went here to check around and I've found roses everywhere." Seeing that they were still unconvinced, Natsume marched out of the room, telling them to follow him, and went to his own room.

"Roses and a ghost?" Yuka muttered, turning to Sakurano. "It's kinda hard to believe."

"I agree," Sakurano replied.

Natsume also told them about last night and what had happened to him earlier, and showed them his bed. When the two saw the blood in his bed, they realized that Natsume wasn't lying.

Sakurano placed Mikan down on the sofa and went to examine the blood. After a short while, he revealed to Yuka and Natsume that the blood belonged to a human. He asked Natsume if someone was playing a trick, but Natsume said that it was the ghost. "And you're saying that this ghost is interested in Mikan-san?" he asked, and Natsume firmly nodded. He let out a sigh and turned to Yuka, who was already worrying at this point. "Yuka-san, we have to report this matter to the higher-ups. Ghost or not, I think this is the work of the AAO."

"How so?" Yuka said, tapping her cheek with her finger. "Last night, the security force reported that Reo and his subordinates left the Academy before the Last Dance. It's too bad that they weren't able to capture them, though. That Reo is still a sly one. In any case, I don't think Reo is the ghost, so it might be some other AAO member. Based on what Natsume-kun said, the ghost was about his age and he was wearing a school uniform."

"I can see your point." Sakurano looked at the blood on the bed again. "And this mess serves as a warning to you, Hyuuga Natsume."

Natsume lowered his gaze at the floor. Without a doubt, he had acknowledged the ghost as someone fearsome, but he wasn't going to let that ghost do whatever he wanted. Since the ghost wanted Mikan, then he'll have to go through him.

"The blood and the roses…" Yuka muttered. She raised Mikan's head as she sat down on the sofa and settled her head on her lap. Her daughter was in danger yet again. She knew that AAO will keep hunting her precious daughter because of the two Alices she possessed. She did have the ability to steal Alices and she could easily take Mikan's Alices away. However, she thought about Mikan's happiness first. If she took away the Alices, then Mikan will not be able to stay in the Academy anymore. Mikan won't be able to be with Natsume and her friends. Bearing that mind, Yuka had always made sure Mikan was safe in the Academy. "Mikan, you're just too special…" She heaved a big sigh as she brushed through Mikan's silky hair with her hand.

Mikan made a slight movement and gradually opened her eyes. "Okaa-san…" she muttered softly as she saw her mother's face.

Yuka caressed Mikan's cheek and smiled. "Mikan, you've regained consciousness…" she said. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, I guess…" Mikan answered as she sat up holding her temple. She looked around and saw Sakurano and Natsume standing by the sofa, looking at her. "Sakurano-senpai? Natsume?"

"Good morning, Mikan-san," Sakurano said, kneeling down and taking her hand. "It seems like you're all right. That's good." He patted her hand and gave her a handsome smile.

"Huh? What do you mean by that, senpai?"

"Mikan, you lost consciousness a while ago," Yuka said. "Do you remember what happened to you?"

"I lost consciousness…" Mikan turned to her mother, then to Sakurano, and finally to Natsume. She then glanced around the room and realized that she wasn't in her own room anymore. She was in Natsume's room. How in the world did she get there? She remembered getting out of her shower when someone… "The ghost!" she gasped loudly, clamping her mouth with her two hands. She started to shake tremendously.

Sakurano held Mikan's shoulder and looked straight into her amber eyes. "Mikan-san, calm down…" he told her, but Mikan shook her head rapidly. "What happened? What did the ghost do to you?"

She pulled her knees closer to her chest and hugged them tight. "The g-ghost…He…He…" She was stuttering badly and she couldn't stop shaking.

Seeing her in that state, Natsume wanted to embrace her in his arms where she would feel safe and sound. Her second encounter with the ghost must have been traumatic, he thought as he clenched his fists.

"Mikan, it's all right…" Yuka hugged her daughter, making her lean against her chest. "You don't have to tell us now. We'll give you time." She rubbed Mikan's back to comfort her and make her feel protected. Once Mikan stopped trembling and had calmed down, Yuka heaved the sigh of relief. But she wondered if she could ask Mikan about her encounter with the ghost, since her daughter looked almost traumatized.

* * *

Later that morning, after Sakurano reported the incident to the higher-ups, the security forces of the academy went to investigate the Special Star rooms of Natsume and Mikan. Sakurano was also there helping out with the investigation while using his Alice of Sharp Senses. His report wasn't exactly detailed, since he hadn't encountered the ghost himself, but he told the higher-ups everything what Natsume told him. The three principals were deeply concerned by this, especially the middle school principal. Sakurano had suggested some security measures to ensure Mikan's safety, and the principals immediately agreed with him.

Aside from the blood and the roses, Sakurano could not find anything that would lead to the suspect. He had the blood and roses examined in the lab already, and he was going to check the results later. He left the dorm before the clock struck 10 using his Alice of Teleportation and appeared in Yuka's room. The owner of the room was on the bed with Mikan, currently brushing her daughter's hair. Sakurano felt relieved to see Mikan's smile as she talked animatedly to Yuka.

"So, any luck?" Yuka asked as she looked up at Sakurano. She placed the brush down on the bedside table and got off the bed. "Did you find anything?"

Sakurano settled down on the couch and talked about the investigation. He was sad to say that there weren't any valuable clues that would help them find out more about the ghost. Well, he had not yet heard Mikan's side of the story, so he wanted to ask her about the ghost. But he hesitated because he thought that Mikan might be too afraid to tell. As Sakurano sighed, his cell phone rang. The screen displayed Yamanouchi Shizune's name. Shizune was the assistant of the middle school principal and she was helping out with the investigation as well. Sakurano thought Shizune might had found any leads. He answered the call after the fourth ring. He carefully listened to Shizune and learned something about the ghost. He hung up and told Yuka and Mikan about the phone call.

"The Phantom Lover?" Yuka muttered, raising a brow. "That's what the ghost is called?"

"Rumored has it that the ghost first appeared after you've disappeared from the academy, Yuka-san," Sakurano said, nestling his cheek on his hand. "Subaru and I heard stories about it, but we never really paid any attention to it. The story about the Phantom Lover eventually faded over the years."

Mikan cuddled one of the pillows in bed. "Senpai, tell us more about the ghost…" she said in a shaky voice. Though she hated thinking about the ghost, she needed to find out if the ghost was an enemy or someone who was just insane.

As Sakurano was about to tell them, two knocks came from the door. Yuka approached the door and opened it. "Natsume-kun, you're back," she said as she saw the raven-haired boy. "Come in…" She opened the door more so he could come in, and when he did, Yuka closed the door.

Natsume sat down on the bed, noticing how his girlfriend cuddled the pillow like a teddy bear as if she was frightened by something again. He placed an arm over her shoulders and let her lean her head on his shoulder.

"Senpai, please continue…" Mikan said, feeling braver since Natsume was with her.

Sakurano leaned back in the couch. "Several years ago, there used to be a ghost haunting the middle school dorm. This ghost was in love with a certain girl, but he was rejected because the girl loved someone else. When he couldn't stand the pain of rejection, he killed himself by slashing his wrist with a knife. He died because of blood loss, but you could say that he died of a broken heart." He had just repeated what Shizune told him over the phone.

"Why is he called the Phantom Lover?" Yuka asked.

"Well," he said, "after his death, the middle school students residing in the dorm had several intense encounters. In the dark of night, he would visit a girl's room, making advances towards an unsuspecting female. He would kiss and touch the girl, and do whatever he pleases."

Mikan's skin had gone cold. She knit her fingers on her lap and held on to her own hands. At first, she wanted to learn more about the ghost, but after hearing the story, she didn't want to hear about it any more. She wanted to simply drop the subject. Yet she found herself asking, "What did the ghost look like?"

Sakurano paused for a while, not sure if he should reveal all the facts to Mikan. "It's just like what he said," he said, briefly glancing at Natsume before looking at Mikan. "The ghost had brown hair and green eyes, and he's about your age."

Mikan swallowed hard. She felt the hair on her neck rise once and her hands shake. "That description fits the ghost that attacked me earlier this morning," she said.

"Then if this ghost you saw is really the Phantom Lover, you should listen to what I have to say next," Sakurano said seriously. "According to the reports, the boyfriends of the girls who encountered the Phantom Lover had met a series of unfortunate accidents. Thankfully, none of them were seriously hurt. It seems like this bothersome ghost has a jealousy side. The ghost was then driven away by someone with the Spirit Manipulation Alice."

"The ghost is a jealous type? Is that the reason why the ghost attacked Natsume-kun as well?" Yuka questioned, and Sakurano nodded in reply.

"Natsume!" Mikan wrapped her arms around Natsume and buried her face in his chest. "I'm scared. I don't want to see that ghost again. I don't want to, not after what he did to me…" Her eyes were neared to tears as she shuddered against him.

The flame-caster secured his arms around her. It was his way of saying that he was there for her and he will protect her always.

"Mikan, what exactly did the ghost do to you?" Yuka asked out of concern.

The brunette slowly turned to look at her mother. A frown was set on her face yet her innocence remained unfazed. Fear was clearly seen in her amber orbs as she tried to maintain her calm. She opened her mouth, almost hesitantly, trying to find the right words to explain what happened earlier. She lowered her gaze and bit her lip, and after a while, when she found her voice, she said something that shocked them all. "I was almost raped…"

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: How's that for suspense? The Phantom Lover—what is he really? A real ghost or someone working for the Anti-Alice Organization? Feel free to guess. One thing for sure, the ghost is interested in Mikan. I told you that the story will become darker after the Alice Festival. Mikan will tell her side of the story in the next chapter. Please don't forget to review. No flaming.


	20. Dubious Phantom

JC: Hi! Chapter 20 is here! I was really thrilled when I read the reviews. They were all awesome. The idea of putting a bit of horror here was not bad at all, and I thought I was bad at writing scary stuffs. I've been reading too many horror novels lately. You guys are all wondering about this Phantom Lover. Well, he'll be revealed a little in this chapter, but don't expect much. By the way, the results just came out an this story actually the** Winner of the Gakuen Alice Reader's Choice Awards 2007/2008 for the Sweetest Romance. **I want to thank everyone for voting! You really made my day. 

Disclaimer: I want to own Mikan-chan so much and make her my little sister, but I can't since she's the property of Higuchi Tachibana. I can never own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 20: Dubious Phantom

Ogasawara Nonoko was working cautiously in her personal laboratory when somebody suddenly greeted, "Good morning, Ogasawara-san." She silently gasped at the sound of a familiar voice and she almost dropped the beaker from her hand. She turned to the door and saw her crush, Kawashima Kyo. Her cheeks flushed red almost instantly as Kyo flashed a well-toothed smile. And Nonoko couldn't help admire him more because of what he was wearing. Kyo was currently clad in a navy-blue shirt, a white sports jacket, denim pants with a silver chain, and blue-white Nike shoes. Nonoko meekly greeted him back, her voice barely audible, as she tried to hide her red face by lowering her head.

Kyo settled himself on a stool beside her and saw a couple of test tubes filled with different colors of liquid. It was obvious that Nonoko was working on another potion or medicine, and he was sure that she would make something great again. "What kind of medicine is it this time, Ogasawara-san?" he asked.

"A medicine for bad eyesight," she said, placing the beaker down on the table. "I don't know if I can complete it, but I'll try best."

Kyo looked at her carefully as she mixed the liquids from the test tubes. "Since its Ogasawara-san, I'm sure you this medicine will be a success," he said.

She blushed madly, then after a moment looked up at him. "Kawashima-kun, you flatter me too much," she said with a giggle. "You always have a way with words." She poured the liquid into the beaker and stirred it with a glass stirring rod.

"Is that so?" Kyo muttered. He motioned over the window and looked up at the sky. "You know, I really enjoyed my Last Dance with you." Last night had been great for him. He had no romantic feelings for Nonoko, but he felt so comfortable dancing with her. He had pictured her as a Japanese princess from a Shoujo Manga, which made him think of himself as her prince. It was a funny yet cheering thought. And he had to admit that Nonoko had looked really pretty in her kimono. He had complimented her couple of times about that and he didn't grow tired of seeing her adorable yet shy reactions.

Nonoko's heart skipped a beat. "I-I…I also enjoyed the Last Dance too…" she said. Honestly, she would have never expected of Kyo to call out her name in front of an audience for the Last Dance. She had been so shocked Last Night. Despite the glares and bad-mouths from Kyo's fan girls, she was able to dance well with him, although she can't look directly in his eyes. It had taken her a while to get comfortable with Kyo. "Kawashima-kun, you're really a good dancer."

"I'm glad you think so," Kyo said before he let out an exasperated sigh. "You know, my sister tells me that I'm a bad dancer." He spun around and leaned against the window pane as he folded his arms.

She turned on the Bunsen burner, adjusting it until the fire was just right, and set up the beaker. "You and your sister don't get along too well, huh? I always see her hitting you with a fan." She took out a porcelain dish from the drawer and poured blue liquid on it from the test tube.

"Nee-chan is really mean to me," Kyo said, scratching the back of his head. "And that paper fan of hers is no joke." He slumped his arms down and approached Nonoko again.

"You have a weird relationship with your sister," she said as she poured yellow liquid onto the blue one on the porcelain dish. The blue liquid instantly turned green. "Anyway, what are you going to do today? It's basically a free day."

"I'm going to Central Town to buy some stuff. I'm also going to check out the latest manga." But he wasn't planning on shopping actually. He wanted to ask Nonoko to go out with him, but she seemed pretty busy with her experiment. He didn't want to be a bother to her. Still, it would be nice to have lunch with her.

Nonoko poured the now green liquid in the beaker and stirred it. "Is anyone coming with you?" she asked, turning to him.

Kyo shook his head and sigh. "Ryou is pretty busy doing I don't know what and I don't want to invite my annoying older sister," he muttered, waving his hand airily. The mere thought of him and Asuka going around Central Town together was giving him the creeps. "How about you, Ogasawara-san? Are you going to spend the whole day in this lab?" He had hoped she would say that she would rather join him than working in the lab.

"I want to finish this medicine," she answered, and Kyo grimaced a little. "But I do need something from Central Town." She actually didn't need anything. She was merely making an excuse to go out with Kyo. "So, may I come with you, Kawashima-kun?"

A day with his sister would be horrible for him, but a day with Nonoko would be great. "Of course!" Kyo tried not to sound too excited. "Would you also like to join me somewhere for lunch?" he asked her.

She nodded her head. "That would be nice. I'll be happy to join you." She attempted a formal and gentle smile, but her smile was so bright and full of glee. She was really happy that she could spend some time with Kyo again.

* * *

_The moment she stepped out of the bathroom, she felt a sudden chill in the air. She made an effort to relax and almost succeeded, but as she walked towards her dresser, a slight breeze blew past her. A tremor rippled across her skin as her gaze shot to the door that led to her balcony. It was closed. She then scanned the room and saw no one, yet she sensed she was no longer alone in the room. The air around her became eerie. And she wished nothing out of the ordinary would appear before her—like the ghost she saw last night. Trying to shake of the uneasy feeling, she hummed a tune and started combing her hair in place. _

_Unexpectedly, the picture frame on top of the bedside drawer, displaying a picture of Natsume and her, fell to the floor as soon as she was done combing. Since it was a carpeted floor, the glass didn't break. She motioned over to the fallen object, picked it up, and placed it back on its proper place. Pausing to think for a moment, she wondered how it fell. Then she sensed someone standing behind her. It was a man. She could feel it. Fear shot through her nerves in a flash, and she didn't dare to turn around. She hoped it was just her imagination, but she could really feel the presence. It was just like the time the ghost appeared in her room. Her body froze when she felt his warm breath against her neck. She couldn't find the voice to scream. It was true when they say that you can't instantly move when you see or sense a ghost. _

_The mere presence of the ghost behind her was already giving her too much tension. She felt shivers down her spine and being only clad in a towel wasn't helping her ease up. When she felt a gentle pressure on her neckline, her amber eyes grew as wide as saucers. _

_The ghost was trailing butterfly kisses on her neck and shoulders. It caressed her arms so tenderly and lovingly. For a moment, fear engulfed her, and she found her voice after some time. "No…" she begged him. But the ghost didn't listen to her. Intentionally, he intensified his kisses and touches, and moved his hands on her chest. _

_She couldn't take it anymore. Feeling slightly angered, she spun around and tried to slap the harasser. To her surprise, her hand went through him and the ghost was drenched in blood. _

_"Don't try to resist me…" the ghost said in a seductive tone. _

_She was about to scream for help, but the ghost immediately pressed his lips against hers. She was flabbergasted for a while. No other guy had ever kissed her on the lips except for Natsume. She didn't know whether to be afraid of the guy because was a ghost or because he was a pervert. She tried to push him away, to hit him, and to remove his lips from hers, but she couldn't lay one finger on him. The ghost could touch her yet she could not. Her hands just went through him. She was at a complete disadvantage. _

_As if being kissed wasn't good enough, the ghost pinned her down on the bed as he kept pressuring his lips on hers. After that, he lifted his head up to look at her and quickly covered her mouth with his hand. He grinned at her maliciously, and she just squirmed at him. "I'll make you mine…" he muttered as he locked her two wrists in his hand and placed her hands above her head. "Even if it means taking you by force." He kissed her on the lips again and caressed her smooth tights with his free hand. _

_"No…Stop it…" she yelled in her mind. "Somebody please help me…" She struggled to break free, though it was a useless effort. The ghost was physically stronger than her. _

_She stopped her struggle and stared blankly at the ceiling. "Natsume…" She began thinking about her boyfriend and the time they made love with each other. Despite having a cold and rough exterior, Natsume had handled her with care and affection during their session. It was wonderful to make love with him. "Natsume…" _

_The moment she felt the ghost's hand moving towards her towel, the only thing that was covering her, she started struggling again and this time with more force. The ghost became rougher with her to the point of even tightening his grip on her wrists. Of course, she winced in pain. In that state, her Alice of Nullification kicked up and blew the ghost away. She slowly sat up on the bed, her expression clearly surprised. Her Nullification worked against a ghost, knowing that her Alice was supposed to only work against Alices. Putting that thought aside, she decided to make a run towards the door. She almost reached the door knob when she was grabbed by ghost. _

_"I'm not letting you get away," he said gravely. "I told you I'll make you mine." He pulled her away from the door and towards the bed. _

_"NO!!" she screamed out loud, activating her Nullification Alice at the same time. _

_Gritting his teeth, the ghost hit the back of her neck, knocking her out, before she could use her Alice. She fell to the floor with a loud thud, and he just smirked at this. "You're a handful, aren't you?" he muttered, kneeling down to lift her up. However, he couldn't do much since he heard footsteps from outside. "Hmph… I'll come back for you later…" After that, he disappeared from sight. _

* * *

Mikan shuddered against her boyfriend, her hands trembling in fear. She had heard about ghost that haunts and possesses people, but she had never heard of ghosts that would actually rape a person. The ghost that appeared to her almost did the unthinkable to her. Another disturbing thing about the ghost was the fact it was interested in her. She didn't want to talk about the ghost anymore, but Sakurano prompted her to tell the whole story. She knew everyone wanted to find out what really happened, so she told them everything that had happened, though recalling was rather unpleasant for her. The experience was traumatic for a girl. Seeing the mixed expressions of the people around her who had just heard the story, she heaved a sigh and lowered her head.

As the mother of the victim, Yuka had successfully maintained her cool, but her expression showed concerned for Mikan. She approached her daughter, sat down right next to her on the bed, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Mikan, you must've been terrified," she said, stroking her hand back and forth on her shoulders. "I can't believe that something like that happened to you. But don't worry, okay? I'll get to the bottom of this. I'll make sure that ghost won't bother you again."

The young brunette looked up at her mother. "Okaa-san, please be careful…" she muttered, as Yuka took hold of her hand. "I sensed something dangerous about him. I don't want you getting hurt. We don't know what he's capable of."

Yuka gave Mikan a kind and warm smile as she gently squeezed her hand. "I'll be careful," she said. "I promise you that."

Natsume, on the other hand, became so furious after he heard the story from Mikan. A ghost basically harassed his girlfriend and kissed her on the lips. Only he was allowed to do that to her. After all, he had already claimed Mikan as his property. What the ghost did to her was unacceptable. It was a serious matter that needs to be taken care of immediately. His girlfriend was on the line yet again, and it was his duty to protect her from harm.

Meanwhile, Sakurano was deep in his own thoughts about the matter with the ghost. He, too, was also disturbed about the ghost who tried to rape Mikan. In that case, the story of the Phantom Lover was virtually true, but there were some things that were making it false. Mikan said that she was able to defend herself from the ghost with her Nullification Alice. "Yuka-san, Mikan-san, the ghost might not be a ghost," he said, cupping his chin with his hand, as he turned to look at the girls. "There is a possibility that he might be a fake."

"A fake?" Mikan muttered.

Sakurano nodded. "Remember, the so-called ghost got blown away by your Alice," he replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "Don't you think it's strange? A ghost, who is supposed to be a spiritual being, got affected by your Alice. The Nullification Alice, as we all know, is a defensive type of Alice that allows the user to cancel out any kind of Alices. It's just a guess, but I think this ghost is actually a human with an Alice that allows him to become a ghost."

"If what your saying is true, then chances of this ghost being an Anti-Alice member is big," Yuka said in a gloomy voice. "And this guy is just using the Phantom Lover story to hide his identity."

"If he's not the Phantom Lover, why did he try to rape me?" Mikan asked. "And one more thing…This ghost actually fits the descriptions of the real Phantom Lover."

"Maybe he has the ability to change his appearance as well," Yuka answered her, "and he's probably did those things to you just to prove that he's the Phantom Lover. He put on a grubby act just to convince us."

Natsume was completely silent for a long time, as he listened to everyone talk about the Phantom Lover, and recalling his encounter with the ghost made his blood boil again. But it made him realize something. The time of the events that occurred. The ghost that appeared before him was also in Mikan's room at the same time. He went on telling this to the others in a serious and monotonous voice.

"That makes things more confusing," Sakurano said after listening to Natsume. "The ghost appeared at two places at almost the same time. So, there are two people going after Mikan-san or is it just one person? And why does he only appear now?" He can't come up with a conclusion about the case until he finds more clues. Just then, his sharp senses sensed an incoming call and not a moment too soon, his cell phone rang. He answered the call, which was from Shizune. After a 5-minute talk with her, he put away his cell phone and got off from the chair. He seemed to be getting ready to leave.

"What did you find out?" Yuka questioned, noticing the solemn look on his face.

"The blood results had just come out," Sakurano answered. "I'm going there to check it out. I'll be back as soon as I'm done." Excusing himself from Yuka and Mikan, he used his Alice to teleport directly to the lab.

"I just hope the lab results would help us," Yuka said, walking towards the door. As she reached for the knob, she peered over her shoulders to look at her daughter. She really didn't want to leave Mikan's side at the moment. But she had to find out more about the Phantom Lover and his true intentions. In that way, she would know how to deal with him if he comes back. "Mikan, I'll be gone for a while. I'm also helping out with the investigation." She then turned to Natsume, giving him a significant look. She didn't utter a word to him, but her eyes told him to protect Mikan.

Natsume got the message and simply nodded his head. Even if he wasn't told, he will still protect Mikan. And since his future mother-in-law had a lot of faith in him, he silently told himself to live up to her expectations. He will not fail her and her daughter, he swore to himself.

* * *

The day droned by. At lunch, Yuka delivered food to Natsume and Mikan, before leaving the two alone again to continue her work. She hasn't contacted Sakurano yet for the blood results, but she was planning to do it later. Since the Phantom Lover appeared before she left the academy many years back, she had interviewed a few teachers who knew something about it. She learned a lot of things about the Phantom Lover, and Jinno-sensei, the head teacher of the elementary department, even told her that the ghost was one of his students before.

Mikan had no appetite to eat and she only finished a part of her food before settling down on the bed. Knowing that the ghost was roaming around, she couldn't help feeling a little bit nervous. She tried to hide her nervousness from Natsume, but her boyfriend was as sharp as a knife. He could really tell that she was bothered. She hadn't actually asked him about his thoughts about the ghost yet and she wondered how he felt when she said that she was almost raped. "Natsume, what do you think of the ghost?" she asked.

Raising a brow, Natsume placed his plate down on the table and walked up to her. "A maniac, what else?" he said nonchalantly as he sat down beside her. "He killed himself when he got rejected and then he harasses girls. Some joke he turned out to be." It was so like him to speak bluntly of someone, especially if that someone is a guy who is interested in his girlfriend.

"Don't forget that he's the jealous type too… Who knows what he can do to you? Just thinking about it makes me worried," Mikan muttered with a sigh. She rubbed the sides of her temples with her knuckles and lightly hit her face with open palms. "I have to straighten up. I can't let this ghost trouble me." Convincing herself not to fear the ghost was a good idea, but her heart still held the fear. It wasn't something that you can get rid of easily.

"At least, you're being optimistic again, polka-dots," Natsume said, lying down on the bed, tucking his hands behind his head. "But don't let your guard down. You can't tell when the ghost will strike again."

Mikan put her hands together in a prayer form and rubbed them against each other. "I don't want to see that ghost ever again," she muttered. "I don't want to experience something terrible again. The ghost is going to give me a serious heart attack and I might not be able to live."

"Stop saying nonsense," he told her, tugging a lock of her hair.

She glared down at him and slapped his hand away. "Don't pull my hair!" she yelled, as Natsume covered his ears. "Geez, I'm being serious here, you know." Letting out a pout, she lay down beside him as her hands nestled on her stomach.

Natsume took the advantage of her lying down and went on top of her in a flash. He locked his gaze on her big round amber orbs and brushed away some strands of hair from her face. "You don't have to worry about a thing," he said in his usual cold tone of voice. "I'll be here…" He caressed her cheek, as she gave him a smile, and brought his lips down to hers.

The two of them shared a long and passionate kiss, enjoying in each other's warmth and compassion. That kiss was something sweet and appealing to Mikan, but for Natsume, the kiss was his act of erasing the traces of the ghost from her lips. His possessiveness over Mikan was still strong as ever, and he almost couldn't bear the fact that she was kissed again by another guy. He deepened the kiss further and teased her with butterfly kisses. The sound of her giggles and moans made him want her more. Sadly, he couldn't do much, because they were currently in Yuka's room. He would be castrated or skinned alive if Yuka sees him making out with her daughter. Heartbeats later, he broke the kiss and lay down beside her.

Touching his cheek tenderly, Mikan smiled and kissed the tip of his nose. "For a pervert, you sure are sweet, Natsume," she said just to tease him.

Silently, he rolled his eyes away as he turned his body over to the other side. He wasn't used to being described as sweet, and he wasn't sure if he should take that as a compliment. Coming from Mikan, he was sure that she was merely teasing him, not that he minded though. Yet, he was glad that his girlfriend has lightened up a bit after the kiss. He couldn't sense tension inside her anymore.

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: A perverted ghost is interested in Mikan. Is he for real or is he an Anti-Alice member? When he kissed Mikan, it kind of makes you want to kill him. I can understand how Natsume feels. Writing about ghosts is rather fun. More trouble is coming in the next chapter. Hotaru will be coming back soon, but I'm not telling when. Please leave a review, okay? No flaming!


	21. The Darkness in One’s Heart

JC: Chapter 21 is finally up. It took me some time to finish this. I was having author's block, which rarely happens to me. Oh well, at least, I'm satisfied when I finished this. In this chapter, you'll learn more about the story of the Phantom Lover. There will be a commotion between the boys as well, and it's going to be a lot of trouble for Natsume and Mikan. Please go and read. I hope you enjoy the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 21: The Darkness in One's Heart

"Go to sleep, Mikan," Yuka told her daughter that night, once Mikan was done changing into her night attire. She couldn't let Mikan return to her own room, because the ghost might come back for her. She had decided to let Mikan stay with her until the case was solved. "A lot of things happened to you and you could really use some sleep." While she was out investigating about the ghost, she knew that her daughter had spent the whole day in her room together with Natsume. She was grateful towards Natsume, since the lad never left Mikan's side.

"I will, Okaa-san. I just don't know if I'll go to sleep right away." Fighting a yawn, she hopped on the bed and leaned her back against a pillow. She was going to spend the night with her mother, so she felt assured that she was going to have a peaceful night. "The Phantom Lover only appears in the middle school dorm, so he won't appear here, right?"

Yuka stood at the doorway between the bathroom and the bedroom, looking a little exhausted because of the day's work. She was already in her night attire as well and she had just finished washing up in the bathroom. "He won't appear here. Besides, I'm with you." She had found out a lot of things about the Phantom Lover, including his name and his Alice. It was strange. The name of the ghost was somewhat familiar to her, but she can't exactly remember. She wanted to know about the lab results, but she had no time to visit the lab during the day, and Sakurano didn't return to update them. Well, he did call her and told her that he was busy conducting another investigation in the Southern Woods because they've found traces of the same blood there. The whole situation was turning out to be like a horror movie, she thought wryly and heaved a silent sigh.

Mikan cocked her head as her eyes softened. The gentleness of her expression reflected her innocence well. "Okaa-san, if the ghost is really the Phantom Lover, then I wonder why he was rejected by the girl he loves…" she said sadly. "But I think it was wrong of him to commit suicide just because of that. There's more to life than a girl."

The mother nodded her head in agreement. "He lost the will to live just because of a girl," she said. "But you can't help feeling sorry for him." She walked towards the bed, set the alarm clock to 6 AM on the bedside drawer, and lay down on the comfy bed right next to her daughter.

Just then, someone knocked on the door, and Yuka prompted the person to come in. The door opened, revealing Natsume clad in a plain white shirt and dark-blue shorts, carrying a pillow and blanket with him. He seemed to be ready for bed as well. He walked in, closing the door carefully behind him, and shot a gaze at his girlfriend before at Yuka. "Why do I have to sleep here with you?" he asked, trying not to sound rude or cold. He was quite surprised when Yuka asked him to sleep with her and Mikan in the same room, but he was going to sleep on the sofa and not on a bed.

"Remember, Natsume-kun, you're targeted by the ghost as well, since you're Mikan's boyfriend," Yuka said, gesturing her hand in a knowing manner. "You'll be staying with me only as a precaution, understand?"

Natsume didn't say anything afterwards and proceeded to set his blanket and pillow on the sofa. Yuka's room was as big as his and Mikan's Special Star room, and the sofa was comfortable, so he can't really complain. His true desire was to sleep beside Mikan, but being near her was good enough for him.

Later, at approximately two o'clock in the morning, Mikan woke up from a nightmare. She sat up on the bed, careful not to wake up her mother, and massaged her temples gently. The nightmare was almost too real for her. She almost lost her breath there for a second. A glance at the clock made her sigh deeply. She prompted herself to get some sleep again, but she was afraid that she might dream of that nightmare again. Pushing herself out of bed, she quietly walked towards the veranda and leaned on the railings. The night was dark and eerie. There were no stars and the moon did not posses its usual radiance. Well, she didn't come up for star-gazing. She just wanted some fresh air to clear her mind.

Suddenly, a pair of arms crept around her waist and pulled her back. For a second there, she thought it was the ghost, but she looked at the person behind her and smiled as she saw that it was Natsume. "Why are you up at this hour?" she asked.

Natsume nestled his chin on the crook of her neck and inhaled her sweet scent of tangerine. "I should ask you the same thing," he whispered before he placed pressed his lips against her neck.

Giggling, Mikan pinched his cheek and pulled his face away. "You shouldn't be doing that, Natsume," she said. "My Okaa-san is just over there, you know." She released his cheek and spun around to face him with a playful smile.

"Tch…I know that," he grumbled. As much as he was tempted to touch her in different places, he knew that it was best to control his sexual urges at the moment.

"Natsume, what would you do if I rejected your love? How would you feel?" She was not particularly sure why she brought up those questions. But, regarding the Phantom Lover, whose love was rejected by a girl, she was just curious about Natsume's feelings. As she saw his face growing bitter, she chuckled uneasily and said, "Um…Never mind…You don't have to answer that…"

"Brokenhearted, obviously…" he said with a shrug, "and depressed. I don't know what I'll do if you had rejected me. But I'll learn to face the facts and understand your decision. I'm not like weak-willed like that Phantom Lover."

Mikan wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a little peck on the lips. "I'm glad to hear that, Natsume," she said. Her boyfriend had always been matured and composed, and she was proud of that.

* * *

It wasn't his intention to wake up five o'clock in the morning. However, Nogi Ruka wasn't planning on going back to sleep soon because of a bad dream he just had. It was a nightmare that he never experienced before. It was dark, cold and painful. Since school was still a few hours away, he decided to take a stroll around the academy after he changed into his middle school uniform. The morning breeze felt good against his skin and it was just what he needed to take his mind off the nightmare. He wished he could have taken his rabbit, but it was still sleeping by the time he left the dorm.

Suddenly, a strong jolt passed through his body as the images of the nightmare emerged from his troubled mind. He closed his eyes, trying to suppress the images that were tumbling one after another. It was no use. The nightmare kept playing back like a broken recorder.

He finally reached a bench and sat down. Some blue and green love birds threw him concerned looks but he simply ignored them. He ran his hand through his blonde hair, feeling very unstable and weary. He closed his eyes again, remembering the nightmare clearly.

_He was heading towards the barn to play with his animal friends. It was his usual routine everyday. As a student possessing the Animal Pheromone Alice, it was easy for him to take care of the animals. He then saw a familiar brown-haired girl from a distance and his cheeks heated up in an instant as he saw her angelic smile. "Sakura…" he whispered to himself, feeling his lips curving into a gentle smile. Sakura Mikan was the girl he loved since he was ten. Until now, his heart remained unchanged. He still harbored feelings for the girl, even though she belonged to someone else. _

_Mikan saw him and approached him right away. "Good morning, Ruka-pyon!" she said in a cheerful manner. She had always referred him as 'Ruka-pyon', a name which had never bothered him. He liked it whenever Mikan calls him by that name. "Are you going to the barn?" _

_"Yeah…Wanna come with me?" _

_"I would love—"_

_"Hey, polka-dots…" a serious voice cut her off. _

_ Mikan popped a nerve as she spun around to face the person who called her unwanted nickname. "Natsume!" She pointed at finger at him. "Stop calling me that!" _

_Ruka slightly grimaced at the sight of his best friend. Mikan was about to accept his offer, but Natsume had to come along and interrupt things. Well, he wasn't mad at Natsume or anything for that matter. _

_Natsume rolled his crimson eyes away, slipping one hand into his pocket. "Your freaky best friend is looking for you," he said nonchalantly. "She wants you in her lab now." _

_"Eh? Really? Why?" Mikan asked only to receive a grunt from Natsume. "I hope she's not planning to make me into a model again for pictures to sell. I kinda get tired of posing." She chuckled to herself. _

_"I understand what you mean," Ruka said, chuckling as well. He and Mikan were two of the most popular teens in school, and Hotaru usually takes pictures of them to sell them to the fan club. He had been a major victim of Hotaru's blackmails for four years. Honestly, he can't have a moment of peace whenever the sneaky and devilish Hotaru was around. _

_Natsume shrugged. "That freak likes to do things her way," he said, looking irritated. He was actually blackmailed by Hotaru just to go fetch Mikan. He didn't like being ordered around, but he didn't want the picture of Mikan in a sexy bikini to be mass produced. It was his for keeps._

_"Don't call her a freak, you jerk," she said as she hugged his arm. "Anyway, let's get going before she decides to pummel us with her Baka Gun." _

_"Whatever…" _

_Mikan turned her head at Ruka and gave him a smile. "I'll see you around, Ruka-pyon!" she exclaimed, as Natsume acknowledged his best friend with a simple nod of the head. "Say hi to the animals for me!" With that, the couple walked away. _

_Ruka had his eyes on the two, as they strolled down the path towards the laboratories of the Technical Class. He couldn't help feeling jealous of his best friend. His feelings for the brunette were still there in his heart, and it had never changed—even when Mikan had politely rejected his love. He understood that Mikan's heart belonged to Natsume. He was happy for that matter yet he felt sad at the same time. The girl he wanted can never be his. _

_"So, you still love her until now…" _

_His eyes grew wide at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. He looked around to find the source of the voice, but he saw no one. He was about to conclude that it was probably his imagination, but his surroundings suddenly turned black. He blinked several times and rubbed his eyes to make sure if he was just dreaming. However, he was really in a world of darkness. "What's going on?" he asked himself. _

_"You want her, don't you?" the voice spoke again. _

_"Who's there?!" Ruka questioned, scanning the place, as he kept his guard up. "Show yourself!" _

_As if on the cue, a strange being appeared before him in the form of a golden shadow. "If you love Sakura Mikan so much, then why don't you take her away from your best friend?" he spoke with poison in his voice. _

_Ruka narrowed his blue eyes on the shadow and clenched his fists. Though the shadow proved to be creepy, he felt irritated for what the shadow just said. "I do love Sakura, but I have no intentions of making her mine. She loves Natsume." _

_"Don't try to deny your true feelings, Nogi Ruka," the shadow said, growing brighter and becoming more human in form. "I know how you really feel. Your heart desires for that girl. You want her for yourself and you really hate your best friend for taking her away from you." _

_"Don't talk as if you know me," Ruka said, looking rather unsure and worried. _

_"Oh, I know you well, Nogi Ruka," the shadow said as it started to materialize. "I know you from the bottom of my heart, and it's because…" It slowly materialized from foot to head, smirking sinisterly, revealing his true identity to Ruka. _

_Ruka was dumbfounded and speechless. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The mysterious golden shadow was telling him the truth. The shadow knew him well, because the shadow was none other than HIM. _

He opened his eyes again. He looked around and saw that there were many students already. Some fan girls were gawking at him, greeting him, and smiling at him, as some whispered how cute he was to each other. He ignored those girls and looked at the watch on the clock tower. He realized that there was only fifteen minutes left till class. He got up, dusted off invisible dirt from his blue pants and walked towards the middle school division building. 

* * *

Mikan and Natsume walked as fast as they could through the hallways and they only had ten minutes to spare before class will begin. They slept about three in the morning, because they were too busy having a lovely moment in the veranda, and they couldn't wake up in time. Well, Natsume managed to wake up at the sound of the alarm clock, while Mikan slept like a rock. As he got up from the sofa, he noticed the Yuka was already gone. He figured that she might have gone out already. Natsume motioned over to the bed and tried to wake his girlfriend up. To no avail, Mikan continued to slumber. Growing frustrated, he decided to sleep some more. He lay down on the bed and cuddled Mikan in his arms. By the time Mikan woke up, she practically shoved Natsume off the bed in surprise. It was one hell of a morning for them, and Natsume actually woke up on the wrong side of the bed literally thanks to his girlfriend.

Natsume was actually still pissed with her and ignored her from the time they left Yuka's room. He didn't just fall from the bed. His head also hit the bedside drawer, which proved to be painful for him. Every time Mikan tried to talk to him, he would either glare at her or not look at her at all.

"Look, I'm really sorry, okay?" Mikan said, taking hold of his hand. "I didn't mean it. I was just surprised. I was expecting to see Okaa-san right beside me, but I saw you instead. Why did you have to lie down there in the first place? Weren't you sleeping on the sofa?"

Releasing a raw sound of frustration, he looked at her coldly and squeezed her hand. "Are you saying it's my fault?" he questioned, and Mikan quickly shook her head. "Tch…Why don't you just shut up for a while? We're going to be late for class if you keep on babbling."

She pouted. "You're really mad at me…" she said, bowing her head. "I'm so sorry." And she really meant it. She didn't want Natsume to stay mad at her for the rest of the day. She won't be comfortable with that.

At that moment, Natsume felt like hitting himself on the head for being a stubborn moron. His girlfriend was being sorry, so he should have just forgave her. He was getting all worked up because of little incident earlier, which hurt his head like hell. But it was an accident, he understood that. But he did get hurt a few times, even though unintentionally, whenever his girlfriend overacts and drags him off to somewhere. When her clumsiness strikes, he would always take the blow, much to his chagrin. Nevertheless, he knew that she didn't mean for it to happen.

"Fine then…" he said, tilting her head up with his finger. "But you have to make it up to me, polka-dots."

Her eyes became determined yet cheerful as she nodded her head. "I'll do anything," she said before she lunged at him to give him a hug. "So, does this mean I'm forgiven?" She pulled herself away to look at him.

Before saying anything, Natsume brushed his lips against hers and slid his hand under her skirt to touch her bottom. "Yeah, you're forgiven, blue-laced panties girl," he said and immediately walked away from her.

Mikan's face turned as red as an apple. "NA-NATSU-ME, you big stupid pervert!" she blurted out with an iron fist. "I can't believe you just did that! And you peeked at me again when I was changing, didn't you?" She stomped her foot on the floor hard, feeling her blood pressure rising to the limit.

"It's your fault, polka-dots…" Natsume stopped and peered over his shoulders to look at her. "You forgot to lock the bathroom door and it was slightly open. Besides, it shouldn't be problem for you anymore. I've already seen your body a couple of times already, right?" He shot her an arrogant smirk before he started walking again.

Trying her best to control her temper, Mikan marched over to Natsume quickly and caught him by locking her arms around him. "I won't let you get away with that, pervert."

"Since I'm really a pervert, then you shouldn't stick so close to me, polka-dots," he said, taking hold of her arms. He twisted around and pinned her against the wall. "Maybe I should show you how perverted I am, huh?" Even though his face was completely emotionless when he said, he felt amused teasing his girlfriend in such a way.

Her eyes were staring directly at his crimson orbs and her cheeks were stained red. "Quit it, Natsume," she said. "Don't do it here. What if someone sees us?"

"It's fine as long as it's not your mother."

"WHAT?! You're being insane."

"Yeah…Insane for you."

"Natsume, you're really—" Her words were cut off when Natsume kissed her passionately on the lips. Minutes later, he reared back, satisfied with the kiss, and caressed her red cheeks tenderly.

"There's still two minutes left on the clock." He didn't want to end his moment with her, but they still had class. "Let's go if you don't want to be late." He entwined his hands with hers and started pulling her along with him as he walked.

Mikan couldn't even think straight for a moment. Her boyfriend just had to act so sweet to her. He really knew how to work his spell on her. It was kind of difficult for her to resist him once he becomes passionate.

Unknown to the two, a certain blonde boy actually witnessed their romantic moment a while ago, and he was feeling bitter about it. A frown had greased her lips and he had his head low and blue eyes looking at the floor. He recalled the dream once again and felt his heart. What the shadow told him in the dream was bothering him. He didn't know whether to believe his words or not. But the shadow was the reflection of his identity, his innermost emotions. He thought about Mikan as he leaned against the wall, and held his temple with a sigh. His shadow was telling him to take her away from Natsume. Was that his true desire—to have Mikan all to himself?

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: I'm not planning on making Ruka an enemy here, so don't worry about it. Ruka's one of my favorite and I would never destroy his character. He's too cute for that. The shadow represents the darkness in Ruka's heart. Everyone has a shadow in the depths of their heart, you know. This strange dream of his is no coincidence. I have to say that someone is working behind the scenes, trying to manipulate Ruka. There were cute Natsume and Mikan moments here. I do love their moments together. My OC's are going to appear in the next chapter. Please review! No flaming!


	22. Undying Love

JC: Chapter 22 is up and ready to be read and reviewed. Ruka is kind of confused with his innermost emotions at the moment. Like I stated before, someone is trying to manipulate Ruka. You've been wondering about Sugita Aya, right? Some say she's suspicious and some say she's just a friend. Well, you're going to find out who she really is here. There's also the case of the Phantom Lover. You'll learn more about it too.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 22: Undying Love

Kawashima Kyo was halfway done with his essay during English Lesson when his seatmate and best friend, Hibiki Ryou, elbowed him. His brows rose slightly. He was busy writing an essay in English, not Japanese, and he didn't want to be disturbed. But it seemed like Ryou wanted to ask him something. He just hoped it wasn't anything stupid or else he'll send him flying. "What is it, Ryou?" he asked in a rather irritated tone.

"You went on a date with Ogasawara Nonoko yesterday, right?" Ryou snickered like a sly fox. "Don't try to deny it, Kyo. I saw you two. I never knew you were close to that girl." He was busy dating high school girls when he saw Kyo and Nonoko getting off the bus together. It surprised him to see them together and wondered if they were on a date. Curiosity got the best of him when he saw the two walking into a restaurant, so he politely excused himself from the ladies and decided to spy on them. Of course, he would never tell Kyo that he followed them everywhere in Central Town yesterday.

Kyo heaved a sigh and put down his pen on the desk. "We weren't on a date, Ryou," he said firmly, keeping his voice low so the teacher won't hear him. "Ogasawara-san wanted to buy ingredients for her medicine, and I just accompanied her to Central Town. We arrived there during lunch time, so we decided to dine at a restaurant."

Ryou shot him a mischievous look and patted his back. "It was still a date, you know," he said. "So, you're going after Ogasawara-san. I thought you were loyal only to Mikan-sama." After all, he and Kyo were the representatives of the Mikan Fan Club, and he had expected Kyo to forever be in love with Mikan.

"My feelings for Mikan-sama are simply adoration and nothing more," Kyo said, swatting Ryou's hand away. "Besides, you feel the same way as well, right? We're just fans and she's our idol. Our admiration for her is completely different from love. And about Ogasawara-san…" He once again sighed and turned his head away from Ryou. He was aware of Nonoko's true feelings for him, but he doesn't feel the same way about her. Sure, he enjoyed his time with her yesterday at Central Town, but it was all friendly bonding to him. For Nonoko, he was sure that she treasured every moment with him.

Ryou could sense the slight tension in Kyo's voice as he muttered Nonoko's name. "Hey, do you like Ogasawara Nonoko?" he asked, but he only received a dangerous glare from Kyo. "Woah, what's with that look? Don't try and scare me now, Kyo. I was just asking a simple question. A simple yes or no would be nice."

But Kyo felt like it wasn't a simple question. He couldn't answer a simple yes or no at all. He couldn't even think straight. Strangely, his heart was pounding at an abnormal rate as he thought about Nonoko. "My feelings for Ogasawara-san are…" he muttered as he looked up at Ryou. His heterochromatic eyes were confused. "I…I don't know…" He wasn't sure anymore of what to think of his feelings for the girl. All along, he thought it was just mere friendship, but his heart was telling him something else.

Ryou had to admit that he rarely seen Kyo getting confused over something. He knew that his best friend was usually cool and composed. "Kyo…You don't have to answer me now…" he said, placing a hand on Kyo's shoulder. "I'll give you some time. You better not mistake your feelings, Kyo. You have to be sure before you say it, okay?"

Normally, Kyo would always be the one to give words of encouragement to Ryou. It was nice of his best friend to say such things, and his words really made him at ease. "This is weird…" Kyo muttered, covering a part of his face with his hand. "I can't believe this is really happening."

"Yeah…Who would've thought that you would be troubled because of a girl?" Ryou said, placing one elbow on his desk, as he leaned his head on his hand. "Looks like a genius like you can get confused too, huh?" He chuckled.

"I wasn't talking about that, Ryou," Kyo said with a sigh. He picked up his pen and glanced at his essay paper. "What I meant was that it's really weird of you to be giving me advises. It's unlike you, you know. You usually spout nonsense most of the time."

Ryou popped a vein, rose from his seat as he slammed his palm on the desk. "What did you just say?!" he shouted, and the whole class immediately turned its attention to him.

"You're being an idiot, Ryou," Kyo muttered as he continued writing his essay. He knew what was coming next for Ryou and he didn't want to get involve with him.

The English teacher, a stern man in his thirties, stood up from his chair and threw a chalk right at Ryou's head. "Hibiki, detention for you after class!" he uttered, as the class lightly laughed. The teacher could see that Ryou was about to tell him his lame excuses, so he quickly cut him off. "And I expect you to be doing library duty today as an additional punishment for disturbing my class." And this earned another laugh from the class.

"No way…" Ryou muttered in defeat and sat back down. He heard a snicker coming from Kyo and he immediately shot him a glare. "It's your fault, you know. I'm going to get you for this."

Kyo smirked at him arrogantly. "Don't try to pin this one on me, Ryou," he said. "I wasn't the one who shouted in class all of a sudden."

"You're only making me feel worse here," Ryou grumbled as he worked on his essay again. He had barely written anything on the paper. English wasn't his best subject and writing essays were such a pain for him. "Hey, Kyo, can you lend me a hand here?" He could always count on his best friend who excelled in every subject in school.

"You should do it yourself," Kyo replied, and Ryou proceeded to curse him under his breath. He wasn't trying to be mean to Ryou. He just liked teasing his best friend and sometimes gives him a hard time. He may not show it much, but he truly cared for Ryou—even if he can be a pain and annoyance at time. And what Ryou told him about his feelings really meant a lot to him. He was thankful for that.

* * *

The nightmare was bothering him. His innermost emotion was telling him to do something wrong. What was his true desire anyway? Does he really want to bring unhappiness to his own best friend? Nogi Ruka was definitely lost in his own world full of confusion. He didn't know what to do anymore. The passionate scene—the scene where Mikan and Natsume shared a sweet kiss— he had witnessed earlier caused him a lot of pain in his heart. He didn't even attend classes. He felt like he could not face Mikan and Natsume at the moment. He tried busying himself by playing with the animals in the barn, but that didn't help him forget about the scene and the nightmare. After bidding goodbye to his animal friends, he went to the Northern Forest and sat down on a patch of grass under a tree.

The small critters around him could sense his feelings and although they wanted to approach him, they knew that he wanted to be alone for a while. So, the animals kept their distance from him, hoping he would lighten up.

He leaned his back against the tree and looked up at the rustling leaves swayed by the wind. His once warm and gentle blue eyes were almost lifeless. "Sakura…" he muttered her name. Indeed, he can't deny his love for her. He loved her so much that he was willing to give up everything just for her. He had confessed his love to her, but he got rejected. He thought he had accepted that. He thought he was all right with the fact Mikan chose Natsume over him. But because of the dream, he was starting to think otherwise. "Sakura…I love you…"

"Oh, my, are you all right?" a sweet and gentle voice spoke to him.

The blonde boy turned his head at the person who had shoulder-length dark hair. It was none other than Sugita Aya. Ruka didn't actually know her, but he had seen her several times in school. She was from the next class, and he believed that she was one of Mikan's many admirers and friends. "Yes, I'm fine…" he answered, not wanting to be rude to her.

"Is that so? You seemed a little sad…" Aya muttered, placing a hand on her cheek.

"Is it that obvious?" He threw her a faint smile before sighing deeply. "Well, you could say that. I am a little confused right now." Little? It was more like severely confused.

"Confused?" Aya clasped her hands together near her chest and knelt down before him. "Um…Erm…Nogi-san, I know it's none of my business, but are you confused because of Mikan-chan?"

Ruka's eyes grew wide in an instant. "How did you know?" he asked her.

Aya smiled at him and said, "So, it is because of Mikan-chan." Honestly, she just brought up Mikan's name to confirm her speculation about Ruka's confused feelings. She didn't expect to hit the nail.

"I…Well…" Ruka massaged his temple as he lowered his head in dismay. His confused state was even obvious to others. It was a good thing he didn't attend class or else he would have a hard time explaining his thoughts to his friends, especially to Natsume who could read him like a book. "Please don't tell anyone... I'll eventually return to my normal self. I hope…"

"Don't worry, I won't…" Aya said, making a promise sign. "Erm…Nogi-san, may I sit beside you? I don't have anywhere else to go now since I decided to skip class. I'm trying to hide from my sensei as well." She laughed nervously.

"Sure, I don't mind," Ruka said. He sensed that Aya wasn't like the girls in his fan club, so it was safe for him to be near her. As Aya motioned over to his side, he asked her why she skipped classes. Aya hesitated to tell him at first, but then she told him that she didn't feel well. "So, how are you feeling now?"

"I feel a lot better. Taking a walk around the woods usually makes me feel refreshed." She tucked some loose hair behind her ear before she stared at some random tree in front of her. "How about you, Nogi-san? Why did you skip class? Is it because of your confused feelings?"

Ruka nodded his head. "Yeah, basically…" He sighed and turned to her. "Sugita, have you ever wanted something so badly that you're willing to take it no matter what?" He didn't want to sound desperate or anything, but it was an important matter to him. He had a desire for Mikan and he was afraid of what that desire may do to him.

Aya blinked twice before facing him. "Something that you want so badly…?" She thought about what to answer him for a while. "Well…erm…I think I have, but I can't remember it. Why are you asking me that? Is there something that you really want?"

"I think so…I can't say for sure…"

"You're really in doubt, Nogi-san."

He ran his fingers through his blonde hair and grasped his hair firmly. "I know… And I don't know what to do anymore…" He sounded a little shaky. The dream was coming back to haunt him again. That shadow, his innermost feelings, and his true desire—all of that was giving him one major dilemma. It was driving him closer to insanity. He was so busy contemplating on himself that he didn't realize that Aya just stood up and walked a few inches away from him.

"Nogi-san…" Her voice sounded friendly at this point, but her expression seemed indifferent. As Ruka looked up at her, she extended her arm towards him. "Why don't you let me help you clear your doubts?" she said in a mysterious voice, which doesn't seem to suit her shy persona. She seemed like a different person.

"Sugita…?" Ruka was starting to have a bad feeling about her. Her expression didn't appear right to him anymore. And he could sense a strange and eerie aura coming from her. "Sugita…I appreciate the offer, but I think I can handle this on my own," he said, swallowing hard, as he got back on his feet.

A malicious grin appeared on Aya's pretty face. "Nogi-san, I don't think you can handle it…" she said, dropping her hand to her side. She looked at him with her eyes completely lifeless. "I know you love Mikan-chan more than anything else. I know you want to get rid of your best friend. I know what you really feel."

Those words were awfully familiar to Ruka. She was talking a lot like his shadow from his dream. Tension brewing, he backed away from Aya and activated his Animal Pheromone Alice at the same time. He might need the help of his animal friends if anything bad happens. "I-I have to go now, Sugita…" he said as he turned around.

"You're not going anywhere, Nogi-san," Aya said, her voice turning into a deeper and much mature one. Not only was her voice changing, but her hair and eye color too. Her dark hair had turned into the much fair and lighter color of silver and became longer, while her brown eyes changed to scarlet. She removed her ribbon, causing her long bangs to cover a part of her face. Using her Alice, she pinned Ruka against the tree without even touching him.

Ruka winced at the pain his back just received. He shifted his gaze at Aya only to be surprised to see how she changed. Her once innocent brown eyes have turned into piercing scarlet. "W-What…What are you?" he said as a drop of sweat trickled down his face. "Are you really Sugita Aya?"

Aya smirked at him. "The sweet and shy Aya you know is just a fake," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "The real Aya is me, a member of the Anti-Alice Organization."

Ruka was stunned at the revelation. He would have never guessed that Aya turned out to be the enemy. He grew more alarmed as he recalled her being friends with Mikan. Thinking of Mikan's welfare, he tried using his Alice to get help, but nothing happened. _What's going on? Why aren't the animals coming? _He could hear the birds chirping and squirrels running up and down the tree, but none of them seemed to notice his pheromones.

"Don't even bother," Aya said, walking over to him. "Your Alice is useless since I put up a barrier around us." She lifted his chin up with her hand and smirked sinisterly at him. Despite that, Ruka wasn't scared of her. He kept up a strong front, and it only pissed her. She grabbed a handful of his hair and brought her lips near his ear. She then whispered something to him that made him restless.

He shook his head and struggled with the force holding him against the tree. "I won't let you take her!" he uttered. And before he knew it, he was knocked unconscious by the Anti-Alice member.

* * *

Mikan couldn't concentrate well in class. It was a good thing that class had already ended or else she might end up getting in trouble with the teacher for not paying attention. Since this morning, she wondered why a certain friend of hers did not show up for class. At first, she thought he was just going to be late, so she decided to wait patiently for him. At the end of first period, she became fidgety in her seat. Her friend didn't show up. She hoped he wasn't sick or something. But she can't think of any other reasons for him to miss class. The guy wasn't a delinquent, so he wouldn't dare to skip classes. "What do you think happen to him, Natsume?" she asked her boyfriend who was sitting right next to her on the bench outside the middle school building.

The flame-caster arched a brow and shrugged in reply. He, as well, didn't know what happened to his best friend, since he had not seen him since yesterday. He wasn't worried, though, but just a little curious about why he didn't attend class.

"I'm worried, Natsume," Mikan said, twirling a lock of her hair with her finger. "Maybe we should go see him. I bet he's in his room."

"Are you sure you want to step foot into that haunted dorm?" Natsume said nonchalantly. He had not forgotten about the Phantom Lover yet, and he knew that he only appears around the middle school dorm at any time. Although he wanted to see Ruka as well, he didn't want to put his girlfriend in danger. The Phantom Lover was a real threat, because it already tried killing him and attempted to rape Mikan.

Mikan became quiet after hearing the word 'haunted'. Of course, she was still aware of the Phantom Lover's existence and she would be lying if she said that she wasn't afraid of him. However, her concern for Ruka was stronger than her fear of ghosts. She had to see Ruka, to see if he was all right. "I don't care about the ghost," she said. "Let's go and visit Ruka-pyon. Besides, you're here to protect me, right?" She took hold of Natsume's hand and smiled like an angel.

It was so like his girlfriend to think of a friend first before herself. Sometimes her selflessness leads her and him to trouble, but her selflessness was another trait that Natsume admired in her. "Fine then," he said. "Let's go." It would be risky going back to the dorm again, but he swore that he would never let the ghost lay a hand on Mikan.

And so, off they went to the middle school dorm. As they've reached the place, they met Ruka at the entrance. He looked fine and healthy, but his eyes seemed different. The usual tenderness in his eyes was replaced with coldness. Mikan, oblivious to his somewhat cold façade, greeted him with a smile, as Natsume raised a brow in suspicion. "Ruka-pyon, why didn't you attend class today?" she asked. "I was kinda worried about you."

Ruka gave her a tentative smile. "I'm sorry…" he said. "One of the animals in the barn got injured and I just had to take care of it."

"Really? Then how is the animal? Is it all right now?"

"Yes, it's fine," Ruka replied. "The injury wasn't that bad. I'm glad that I was able to help it."

"That's good to hear."

"Mikan-san…"

Startled, Mikan turned around to see Sakurano appearing out of nowhere. Teleportation Alice was extremely useful if you want to jump from one place to another in a single blink of an eye. "Mikan-san, your mother is looking for you," he said, placing a hand on Mikan's head. "She has something important to tell you."

"Okaa-san?" Mikan tapped her finger on her cheek. "Is it about the Ph—"

Sakurano gently placed a finger on her lips to stop her from continuing. Nobody else should know about the Phantom Lover, other than the victims and the ones in charge of the investigation. He didn't want Ruka to feel distressed over the matter either, so it was best for him to not know. "Let's go, Mikan-san." He then turned to Natsume with a rather serious look. "You're coming along as well."

"What is this all about?" Ruka asked.

"There were reports saying that some Anti-Alice members have broken into the academy again, but it's not confirmed to be true or not," Sakurano told this lie just to avoid talking about the Phantom Lover. "Because of this, Mikan-san's mother is highly alarmed."

Mikan sighed deeply. "I want to talk to Ruka-pyon more, but I guess it can't be helped." She gazed upon the blonde boy and smiled. "But I'll see you tomorrow at school, right? I don't feel comfortable without Ruka-pyon in class. It's just not the same."

"Sakura…" Ruka's eyes were starting to show their true emotions, but it only lasted for a brief moment before they turned cold again. "Don't worry, I'll definitely attend class tomorrow…for you…" He spoke in an unusually monotonous voice, but Mikan didn't mind it because she thought Ruka was only tired.

However, the way he said that was strange for both Natsume and Sakurano. Natsume wondered if his best friend was really all right. Sakurano took hold of Mikan's and Natsume's hands as soon as they were ready and activated his Alice of Teleportation to transport them directly to Yuka's room. But before they disappeared from sight, Ruka smirked as someone from behind him unleashed her Alice, which interfered with Sakurano's Alice.

Natsume and Sakurano had successfully arrived in Yuka's room, but the mother immediately noticed that Mikan wasn't with them. "Where's Mikan?" she asked, and the two boys quickly scanned around in search for her. "What's the matter?"

Sakurano cupped his chin with his hand. "How strange… I'm sure I held onto her hand before I used my Alice," he said. "And I'm pretty sure that she didn't use Nullification either."

"Is that so?" Yuka said. "Why don't you teleport back and get her?"

"I will, Yuka-san," he replied. He concentrated to use his Alice, but nothing happened. He tried again and again, and his Alice still didn't work, much to his utter surprise. "What…I…I can't seem to use my Alice, Yuka-san."

"What do you mean by that?" Yuka asked.

Sakurano closed his eyes and thought of only using his Alice of Teleportation. Try as he might, the desired Alice he wanted to use wasn't functioning. Just then, his other Alice, the Alice of Intuition or Sharp Senses, alerted him of some unknown power around. He could sense that it was strong. At least, his other Alice was still working. "Yuka-san, I think something bad is about to happen," he said, looking anxiously at Yuka, "to Mikan-san…"

Not another second, Natsume dashed to the door and tried to open it. But it was locked for some reason. "Open the door now," he demanded. He had to go to Mikan before it was too late.

"You can't open the door?" Yuka muttered in surprise. "That's impossible. I didn't lock the door and it could only be locked on the inside."

"And we're currently inside…" Sakurano added.

Natsume gritted his teeth as he conjured a flame in his palm. "I'll just have to burn this door," he said seriously. He hauled the fire ball towards the door, but instead of burning the door, his fire got sucked in like a vortex. Astonished by this, he threw more fire balls at the door only to have them sucked in. He proceeded to kicking the door hard, but the door wouldn't budge a bit.

Yuka tried opening the door to the veranda, but sadly it was locked as well. "It's obvious that somebody wants us to stay in this room." She picked up a chair and tried destroying the door with it. However, the chair wasn't able to scratch the door one bit. It was like the door was made of hard metal.

* * *

Much to her utter dismay and surprise, Mikan was teleported to her own Special Star room instead of her mother's room. She was expecting Natsume and Sakurano to be with her, but they were nowhere in her room. She was all alone. She knew she shouldn't panic right away. She didn't sense anyone in her room as well, so it was okay to assume that the room was safe. However, the Phantom Lover can appear at any time, so she shouldn't let her guard down. She walked over the door and turned the knob to open it. Strangely, the door was locked. She sensed a strong force barricading the door. She figured that it was an Alice at work. Placing her hand against the door, she closed her eyes and began using her Nullification Alice. Her Alice was slowly diminishing the strong force on the door. However, before she could completely nullify the force, she felt a presence behind her. She slowly turned around and saw the Phantom Lover.

Green menacing eyes, short brown hair, uniform drenched in blood, and a white ghostly aura—yes, it was definitely the Phantom Lover and he had come for Mikan. The ghost made no sound as he approached the brunette. He quickly grabbed her hands and tried to kiss her. Mikan started screaming for help but no one could hear her. The force blocking the door turned out to be a barrier. And it didn't just barricade the door, but the entire room as well. As Mikan's struggle intensified, the ghost slapped her face so hard that her head hit the wall. Before she could lift her head, the ghost started kissing her face and her neck. Horrified, Mikan unleashed her Nullification Alice and blew him away.

Mikan was shivering and bleeding when she got back to her feet. She touched her head and felt the blood trickling down her face. She reached for the knob, still using her Nullification Alice, and tried to open the door again.

The ghost got back up and smirked at her. "I won't let you get away," he said. "You will be mine." Every word he muttered sent shivers down to her spine. Taking one step forward, he immediately vanished and reappeared beside Mikan.

"Get away from me!" She ran away from him, but he instantly appeared in front of her. "No! Stay back!" She moved backwards slowly this time, as she tried to look brave. It seemed almost impossible to escape from the ghost.

The ghost had reached for her hand before he knelt before her. "You have no idea how long I've waited for you," he said, kissing her hand gently. "You may have broken my heart, but I will continue to love you."

At that moment, Mikan felt sad for the ghost. She may not understand much about his love, but she knew it was painful to experience rejection. And she didn't know whether to believe if he was really a ghost or a real boy who was just using an Alice to pretend to be a ghost. "I'm sorry…" she muttered as she took her hand away from him. "But I'm not the girl you love. I'm different."

"No, you are the girl I love," he said, standing up. "That face…That smile…There's no mistake. You're the girl I've longed for."

"Eh? But…"

Their eyes met, and then he pulled her into his embrace. "I know that you chose sensei over me…" he whispered into her ear as he brushed his hands through her silky brown hair. "But sensei is gone now. There's no one to stop you from loving me anymore."

"Huh? Sensei?" Mikan was baffled with his words. Who was this sensei he was talking about? And what did he mean by her smile and her face? It was almost impossible, but she has a hunch that the girl he loved long ago probably looked like her. _Don't tell me it's…No…It can't be…But who else could it be? _And then her eyes widened in surprise as she felt his hand sliding beneath her skirt. "AH! Get away!"

"I won't let you go this time," he said, holding her firmly. "I've already lost you once." He pulled her towards the bed, despite her struggle, and pinioned her down with his lean body. He pushed her skirt above her waist and caressed her legs tenderly.

Mikan pushed him away powerfully with her Nullification Alice when he was about to remove her panties. Her Alice was working well against the ghost, because the ghost was starting to lose his white aura. At the point, she could finally tell that he wasn't the real thing. He was just an imposter. He was no Phantom Lover. "Who are you?!" she asked, hopping out of bed. "Are you from the organization?"

He grinned at her. "I knew it would take more than sheer force to make you love me," he said. He extended an arm forward and unleashed a powerful barrier to trap Mikan. "You really are one stubborn girl. But you're still charming as ever."

"It's wrong to force people to love you," Mikan uttered as she nullified the newly-formed barrier around her. She wasn't afraid of the so-called ghost anymore. She was willing to fight him. "And stop pretending to be the Phantom Lover. I know you're not really a ghost."

He let out a sinister laugh, and then a cruel smile touched his mouth. "I don't know what you're talking about, but you're playing hard to get as usual," he said. "Of course, I don't mind it at all. It makes me more interested in you."

"Y-you're…you're crazy!" she uttered with clenched fists.

"That's right…Crazy…for you…" he said slowly. Then he moved off, teleporting right behind her, but Mikan quickly jumped away from him and rushed towards the door. He managed to grab her wrist and pull her back. "Don't try to run from me!" He slapped her face and vigorously pushed her towards the bed.

But instead of landing on the bed, Mikan fell on the floor and hit her head against the bedside drawer. She was already bleeding before and now the impact almost knocked her unconscious. She mentally told herself to be strong and stood up again as she held her head.

"I don't want to hurt you more than I already have." He caressed her smooth cheek, wiping the blood from her face at the same time. "I love you too much," he said, and he licked the blood from her face. He proceeded to kiss her temple as he pushed the mass of her hair aside.

Mikan bit her lip and closed her eyes. "Do you really think you can win my heart by doing this?" she questioned him, trying her best to stay calm. Ghost or not, she had to knock some sense into him. "You can take my body, my soul, but you can never take my heart." The moment she opened her eyes, she grabbed his hand and activated her second Alice, the Stealing-Alice.

"What the?!" he gasped in surprise.

"I know you're just using an Alice to look like a ghost," she said, squeezing his hand tightly, "so I'm going to take that Alice away from you." Her body glowed in blue light for a while before she pushed him away. She raised a closed hand before her chest and slowly opened it to reveal a white Alice stone.

"What have you done?!" he yelled.

Mikan looked up at him only to be flabbergasted at the sight. Her hand clenched the white Alice stone in an instant. She was too stunned to move at that point. All along she thought he wasn't a ghost, because her Alices worked against him, but she was starting to doubt it. What she was seeing was making her afraid that her heart was pumping so fast. She felt her hands getting cold and her mouth getting dry.

* * *

Long shadows fingered the corners of his office as he ruminated on the devious plan. He raked his fingers through his raven hair and leaned back on his chair. "It won't be long now until she's in my grasps." He clenched his hand tight as his lips curved into a malicious grin. Cold and piercing eyes can be seen behind his glasses.

Mouri Reo noticed his boss's change of expression. "I'm glad you've approved of my plan," he said, planting one fist on his hip. "Everything is working like a charm. And the one you sent out for the mission is obviously a top-notch Alice."

The boss, the one and only leader of the Anti-Alice Organization, laughed maniacally and rose up from his seat. After being away from the organization for so long, he was going to make sure that his goals would be achieved. "She's one of our best agents, of course," he said, adjusting his glasses. "Not only will she bring Sakura Mikan to us, but she will also destroy the academy from the inside." His rebellion against Alice Academy will be a success, he thought proudly. He had faith in the agent more than anyone else, because she wasn't just a mere subordinate to him. She was special to him.

"But I believe there's a problem with her," Reo said, tapping his cheek with his finger, looking knowledgeable. "Her warped personality…Won't it be a bother to her?"

"That personality of hers…It won't be a problem anymore. I can assure you of that, Reo." The boss picked up a flower from the vase and turned it into hard stone. "She will never fail me. She's clever and powerful, though she's not as strong as Sakura Mikan. And she knows the consequences of failure." He dropped the flower to the floor and saw it break into tiny pieces.

Reo shrugged. "You're cruel as ever…" He turned to the door and reached for the knob. "In any case, I will still monitor her movements to make sure her other self doesn't interfere with her work." Not another word, he opened the door and walked out.

He stopped by at his room to gather his gadgets and weapons for his mission. It was such a hassle to go back to the academy again. Although he said that he was just going to monitor the best agent of the organization, he actually wanted to see if she was all right. He glanced at the picture on top of his bedside drawer—a picture of him and a dark-haired girl with cheerful brown eyes. Truth to be known, he cared for the girl in the picture very much. "Aya…" he muttered the girl's name with importance. He sat down on the bed and ruffled his hair with his hand. "This plan is all my idea…" He did feel guilty for suggesting the plan in the first place, but he didn't expect his boss to use her.

His cell phone rang a few minutes later, totally snapping him out his thoughts. He answered the call, which was from his manager. He may be an Anti-Alice member, but he was still pursuing his career as a singer. He was still one of the most popular singers in Japan and girls just adored him. The manager on the other side of the line reminded his of his schedule for pictorial and interview, and Reo just told him that he will be there on time. And then the manager inquired him about the status of the mission, but Reo didn't say anything to him. Well, his manager was an AAO member too, but he felt like not talking about the mission yet. His precious friend was there, taking care of the job. "I'm sorry..." he said. "I've got to go." He hung up the phone and lay down on the bed as he heaved a big sigh.

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: There are still more chapters to come! I'm planning to go over thirty with this one. In this chapter, a lot of things happened, including scary things. Ruka and Kyo are both having mixed feelings, but Ruka is getting manipulated by Aya. Take note of the conversation between Reo and the boss of the AAO—about Aya's warped personality. This is one sign that Aya is not a bad person, and Reo seemed to care for her. Another interesting thing here is the Phantom Lover. Mikan put up a good fight against him, but what did she saw that made her so afraid? Please review for this chapter, okay? No flaming.


	23. A Whisper of Black

JC: We have one ghost who is insanely in love with Mikan, a silver-haired girl with a powerful Alice, and a manipulated Ruka. What's next? By the way, the ghost here is not an OC of mine. He's actually a character from another manga. I won't reveal it here just yet. Almost everyone is in trouble, especially Mikan. A lot is going to happen in this chapter as well. Please go on and read.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 23: A Whisper of Black

"Shirasaki Yuki, Special Star student, Ability Class: Technical, Alices are Technopathy, Darkness, and Teleportation … In other words he's a multi-Alice user." Narumi-sensei was reading the profile of none other than the infamous Phantom Lover of the school. He remembered hearing stories about the Phantom Lover before during his high school days. It was after his precious senior left the academy that the rumors of a ghost started. The name of the ghost was familiar to him, but he hasn't actually met the person in the past. Even though this Shirasaki Yuki was a Special Star like him before, he didn't get to meet him personally. According to the information, Shirasaki Yuki possessed the fourth shape of Alice. Being a multi-Alice user was a curse to him and because of that, he had spent most of his life in a hospital. Narumi kind of felt sorry for the guy. However, he knew that Yuki's ghost was a threat to his daughter. From what he heard from Yuka, Mikan was almost raped by the ghost. He got a bit angry about that, but he managed to keep his cool.

He shifted his gaze from the paper in his hand to the middle school principal, who was seated behind her desk, fanning herself as usual in an elegant manner. Along with Imai Subaru, he had been summoned there by the principal to discuss about the Phantom Lover. Some people were still missing, and Narumi wondered where they were. They should have been there thirty minutes ago.

"What is taking them so long?" Hii-sama said as she closed her fan. "I have specifically told Azumi Yuka to be here, along with her daughter. This is certainly most—" She immediately stopped as she sensed a disturbance in the air. Her usually calm and composed expression faded as it turned into a more concerned one. She rose from her seat and looked seriously at Subaru and Narumi.

"What's the matter, principal?" Narumi asked.

"Narumi, I want you to head over to Azumi Yuka's quarters immediately," the principal said without falter. She turned to the window and closed her eyes to ease her nerves. "As for Imai-san, I want you to call Persona and tell him to go to Mikan no Kimi's dorm room."

Narumi and Subaru glanced at each other, with the latter being emotionless, as they sensed trouble. "Principal, what's going on? Did something bad happen?" Narumi asked.

Hii-sama turned around only to lock her icy stare at the blonde teacher. "Stop asking questions and go," she said. With the barrier she set up around the school, she can't be mistaken of the mysterious power she felt a second ago. She couldn't really tell what kind of power it was, but she could only pinpoint the location of where the power was coming from.

They didn't question further. They ran out of the office in a split second and went their separate ways as soon as they left the building. One set out to find Persona, while the other headed towards the teacher's dormitories. Though both of them didn't know what was going on, they knew that principal was extremely worried over something.

Narumi arrived at the dorm and ran towards Yuka's room right away. He stopped to catch his breath in front of the door. He knocked on it first, checking to see if anybody was inside, but nobody answered him. He knocked again, louder this time, and still no answer. He reached for the knob to see if the door was locked, but the moment he touched it, electrical waves rushed through his body that almost paralyzed him. He let go of the knob and backed away. Was that some kind of trap? He doubted his senior will ever put up something as dangerous as that.

Just then, he heard voices from inside the room, and he recognized them all. He banged his fist on the door and called out their names. Much to his disappointment, not one of them heard his voice. "This is weird," he muttered under his breath. "Why can't they hear me?"

"That's because I put up a special barrier around that room…"

Startled, Narumi turned around and saw a silver-haired girl standing before him. "You put up a barrier?" he said. "Why did you do that? Don't tell me you're an Anti-Alice member?" He pulled out a bean from his pocket and held it tight. He could sense malice from the girl, and her cold scarlet eyes were as fierce and sharp as daggers.

"Yes, I am an Anti-Alice member," she said, her lips curving into an ominous smile. "And I'm on a mission to take away Sakura Mikan from this wretched school. Someone like her doesn't belong here. This academy is just wasting her precious Alices." She took a step forward as she extended her arm forward. Her body began glowing in a dark and eerie aura.

With one swipe of the hand, the bean turned into a long whip. "I'm not going to let you take her away, Narumi said in a deep voice as he narrowed his amethyst eyes at her. "And what makes you think that she's better off in that organization? She's a lot happier in the academy with her friends."

"You are one foolish man, sensei…" The girl used her Alice and blew Narumi away. "I know Sakura Mikan has grown to love this academy, but that can be change, you know. After all, the organization wants her, and they're willing to do anything to get her—even if it means manipulating her." She raised her arm and closed her hand, as she telepathically pinned Narumi's body on the floor to prevent him from getting up. She walked over to him and stomped on his stomach.

Narumi winced in pain. "S-She…won't…be manipulated…" he said as he shot her glare. "Mikan-chan is strong. She will never be manipulated by you guys. I swear it." The silver-haired girl only got pissed at him and began stomping on his stomach until he coughed out blood. Despite the torture, he kept up a strong front.

The girl kicked him on the side before she lifted him up with her Alice. "You're disgusting," she said, "just like the other dogs of this filthy academy." She telepathically gripped his neck and started chocking him to death. "I swear that this academy will be obliterated along with you dogs!"

Narumi activated his Human Inclination Pheromone Alice, hoping it would work against her, but to his dismay, the girl seemed powerful enough to resist it. The grip on his neck was getting tighter and tighter by the minute, and he was losing air fast. He was barely conscious enough to think. "P-please…s-stop…this…now…" he managed to say. "K-Killing…is…wrong…"

And with those words, her heart suddenly skipped a beat. _Killing is wrong. Please stop this now. You don't want to do this. _Her head began to hurt like hell. She felt like the world was spinning right before her eyes. Her Alice power had decreased immensely, and because of that, Narumi was released from the force holding him. She dropped her hand to her sides and fell on her knees. She held her head and stared down at the floor with a frightened look. _Don't kill… Please…I beg of you… _

It took Narumi a few seconds to catch his breath back before he got back on his feet. Grabbing the bean whip, he flung it towards the silver-haired girl and wrapped it around her. "I got you now," he said, and the girl just whimpered silently in pain. He found her expression to be strange. One minute ago she was out to kill him, but now she seemed so weak and pitiful. "I don't know what's going on with you, but I'm taking you in."

"NO!!" the girl suddenly shouted as she unleashed a powerful light force that blinded Narumi for a while. When Narumi opened his eyes again, the girl was already gone. He took a moment to wonder about the girl, but then realized that he had something more important to do. "Yuka-senpai!" He ran towards the door and turned the knob. This time, the door opened, and the instant he stepped into the room, he saw a fireball flying towards him. "What the?!" He quickly ducked his head to avoid the fire just in time.

"Naru, it's you!" Yuka said in surprise. "How did you open the door?"

"I'll gladly explain it to you," Narumi said, and then turned his attention to Natsume. "But first, mind telling me why you just attacked me with your fire just now?"

Natsume rolled his eyes away. "I was aiming for the door," he said nonchalantly. "How was I supposed to know that you were going to barge in? But I was a bit disappointed that it didn't hit you."

Narumi heaved a sigh. "Give me a break," he said. "I was almost killed a while ago."

"What do you mean by that, sensei?" Sakurano asked.

"I'll explain all the details to you on the way," Narumi said. "First, we have to head over the Mikan-chan's room. Mikan-chan might be in trouble as we speak."

"All right…" Sakurano sensed that he could use his Teleportation Alice again, so he told everyone to hold onto him. As Yuka, Natsume, and Narumi touched him, he focused his mind on the location of where he wanted to go. "Please hang on," he said and activated his Alice. In a blink of an eye, all of them disappeared from Yuka's room.

* * *

Shocked, thunderstruck, and scared—those were all the words that would describe her present state. When Mikan had used her Stealing-Alice on the ghost, a white Alice stone was formed in her hand, but something strange happened to the ghost. The one whom she thought was a fake turned out to be real after all. She looked at him, speechless, as her knees felt like jelly. The ghost didn't materialize at all, but he became more transparent and he was still covered with blood.

"What have you done to me?" he said, reaching out for her. He wanted to touch her, but his hand went through to her. "No…No…this can't be…" He spread his arms open and attempted to hug her, but he just went through her and landed on the bed.

Mikan backed away from the bed. "I already stole your Alice…" she muttered. "But you didn't turn back to human. Don't tell me that you're really a ghost?"

The ghost got off the bed and shot her a concerned look. His deep green eyes looked like they were about to cry. "That stone…" He pointed at the white Alice stone in Mikan's hand. "Please give it back to me… Without it, I can never touch you…"

Mikan hid the stone behind her back and held it securely with two hands. "Answer me first," she said, swallowing hard. "Are you really a ghost? Are you really dead?"

Tears streamed down his cheeks in seconds as he held out his bloody arm towards her. "Yes, I am dead," he said, taking a step forward. "But despite that fact, I still love you. I want to be with you more than anyone else." He was very sincere with his words.

"Why…Why me?" Mikan was trying to think of possible reasons why the ghost was interested in her. The girl the ghost loved before should be different from her. Yet, the ghost stated that she had the same face and the same smile of the girl. She had thought of the possibility, but she didn't want to make any assumptions on that matter. "I'm telling you I'm not the girl you love…"

"Who are you trying to convince?" He bit his lip and started approaching her. "You're the same girl I loved years ago. I can never forget that face." He touched her face, even though he couldn't feel her warmth, and smiled at her, as tears continued to flow.

Mikan didn't struggle. The way he looked at her was so gratifying and kind. The fear she felt a while ago had been replaced by a gentle feeling that made her heart pound abruptly. Now that she got a closer look at his face, she could say that he was really handsome. His deep green eyes matched perfectly with the brown color of his hair. And although he was in tears, his charming features were still apparent to her.

"I love you and I want you to love me back…" he said, bringing his lips down to hers. It was too bad that he couldn't physically taste her, but sharing a spiritual kiss with her was already enough for him. He sensed her body warming up to him, as her hands dropped to her side all of a sudden, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw her closing her eyes in bliss. He broke the kiss after a while and took the white Alice stone from her hand. "Please…Please say you love me…" He clenched the stone tight and brought it near his chest.

Mikan opened her eyes and looked at him. "I…I…" she muttered as she touched her lips. She could feel her cheeks turning pink. "I-I'm sorry…I can't…and that's because I'm in love with someone else." She regretted saying that, but she just wanted the ghost what she really feels.

"NO!" he uttered, his eyes growing furious. "I won't accept that. You belong only to me. Therefore, you should love me and only me!" His kind and gentle façade had disappeared. He was angry for what she said and downright jealous. He used the white Alice stone on himself and became solid once again.

"You can't force me!" Mikan retorted.

"I can and I will." He laughed bitterly. He could no longer help himself. He wrapped his arms around, reveling in the feel of her body so close to his. Mikan was about to use her Alice on him, but he immediately used his own Alice and overpowered her easily. He engulfed Mikan's mind and heart in darkness, causing her to lose consciousness. "You're mine…" he murmured, kissing her ear.

At the instant, the door disintegrated to ashes and in came Natsume and Persona. The one responsible for the door, the Dangerous Ability Class moderator, Persona, otherwise known as Serio-sensei, was a mysterious man who always wore a white mask. His Alice was the Mark of Death and it was considered to be one of the most fearful Alices in history. His Alice was so powerful that he needed to wear several control devices. He stood beside Natsume, and like the boy, he was greatly disturbed by the scene of the ghost holding the brunette in his arms. He could sense the rage building up in Natsume. Behind him were Sakurano, Yuka, Narumi-sensei, and Subaru.

Natsume conjured a flame and glared at the ghost menacingly. "Let go of her now," he threatened.

"Don't try anything foolish, Black Cat," Persona said, looking calm and composed, as his eyes narrowed behind under his mask. "The ghost has the girl in custody. I know how much she means to you, but if you don't want her harmed, then I suggest you stay calm."

"You're the guy she loves," the ghost said, grinning evilly at the flame-caster. "You're one lucky bastard, but I don't see what's so special about you."

Yuka couldn't stand in the background anymore and do nothing while her daughter was in danger. However, as she looked at the ghost from while standing behind Persona, she gasped in silence. "He's…" She recognized his face from somewhere. She knew who the ghost was. "He's the one from the hospital…" she muttered, clamping her mouth with one hand.

Natsume's patience was growing thin. He was usually calm when facing an opponent. But because of his girlfriend, he was eager to beat the crap out of the ghost.

"First it was sensei… And now you're the reason why she can't love me," the ghost said as he carefully placed her on the bed. "I'm going to get you for that." With everyone watching him cautiously, he spun around and faced Natsume. He activated his Alice as his body began glowing in a dark aura. Smirking, he took a step forward, and in a blink of an eye, he charged towards Natsume.

"Natsume-kun!" Yuka and Narumi-sensei shouted in unison.

Natsume was blown towards Sakurano, and the Sakurano caught him right away. "Damn…That bastard…" he growled. He got back to his feet, and the moment he looked up, he noticed that the ghost had vanished. "Where is that creep?"

Persona folded his arms over his chest. "The phantom disappeared after it attacked you," he explained. "I don't sense his presence anymore. He probably escaped."

Yuka immediately went over to her daughter and checked her for any injuries or wounds. "Mikan…" She saw blood trickling down her head, so she pulled out a handkerchief to wipe it. "Imai-kun, come here quick. Mikan's injured."

Subaru walked right in and knelt down before the bed. As soon as he placed a hand on top of her head, he began using his Healing Alice. "Don't worry," he told Yuka, seeing that she was distinctly worried. "It's only a minor injury. After I'm done, she'll be as good as new."

"Natsume-kun, how about you?" Narumi-sensei asked the raven-haired boy. "Are you all right? The ghost did attack you."

"Tch…I'm fine…" Natsume said, looking calm and collected. Truth to be known, he was actually enraged inside. Not only was he freaking mad at the ghost for attacking him, but he was also dead jealous for seeing the ghost kissing his girlfriend like he was his possession.

* * *

It was cloudy that night, and Kawashima Asuka was feeling a little bored. She was done with her latest creation, so she didn't have anything to do anymore. There was an upcoming quiz in class the next day, but she wasn't worried about that. She understood the lesson well and she could answer the quiz with her eyes closed. She was an Honor Student after all. She sighed in frustration as she sat up on the bed. With no intention of sleeping, she stretched out her arms, hopped off the bed, and walked towards the balcony. As she looked down, she saw a silhouette running away from the dorm. Judging from the height and structure, she could tell that it was a guy. Curiosity was getting the best of her, so she decided to follow the guy. She grabbed a witch's broom from her closet and the 'Bracelet of Invisibility' from the dresser drawer, and went out.

Her creations were working like a charm. The broom she made could fly at the speed of mach 9. On the other hand, the bracelet could turn the wearer invisible, making him/her undetectable by radars, sensors, and other Alices. Because of her creations, she was able to follow the guy carefully. She practically tagged along with him to the Southern Woods. It was getting harder to fly because of the trees, so she stepped down from the broom and went after him on foot. Minutes later, the boy came across a group of people, and Asuka immediately climbed up a tree. She wanted to see who those people were, but it was just too damn dark. She wished she brought her night vision goggles with her.

"So, you manipulated this guy," a man with unruly hair and lean structure began talking. Asuka narrowed her eyes in suspicion. The voice of the man was somehow familiar to her, too familiar to be exact. "I remember the last time I manipulated him."

A young girl with the average height of a 14-year old crossed her arms over her chest. "He's going to be of good use to me, Ani-sama…" she said, flipping her long hair.

Asuka gripped the broom tightly in her hands. _Manipulated? Good use? _She figured that the two were talking about the guy she followed and she could tell that they were no good. The other two men were just quiet. _Who are these guys? Are they even from the academy? Damn, if only it wasn't so dark. _She stayed still and continued listening to the two.

"Ani-sama, I almost killed that traitorous senpai of yours," the girl said coldly. "But I wasn't able to because of my other self…"

The man clenched his fists hard. "I know your orders were to destroy the academy from the inside, along with taking Sakura Mikan away, but…" He was almost hesitant to speak. "Killing Naru-senpai is not worth it." He spoke indifferently yet with a bit of concern.

_Taking Mikan-chan away? Naru-senpai? _Asuka thought about it for a while. _Are they talking about Narumi-sensei? _She did remember hearing people calling Narumi by his nickname, Naru. She was feeling a little nervous. She sensed danger from these people and she didn't even know who they were. As if on the cue, the clouds, which were blocking the moon, moved away and let the moonlight, shine upon the suspicious group of people. Her eyes grew wide as she recognized the man with the auburn unruly hair and purple eyes. "Mouri Reo…the singer?" She clamped her mouth in surprise. The other men were wearing black suits and the guy she followed was wearing a jacket with a hood over his head. And when she set her heterochromatic eyes on the silver-haired girls, she almost shuddered at the sight of her piercing scarlet eyes.

The girl let out a sinister laugh and motioned over to the manipulated guy. "Hmm…So, that teacher is still important to Ani-sama…" she said as she wrapped her arms around the guy. She locked her gaze at Reo and licked her lips. "And that gives met a better reason to kill him."

Reo bit his lip. "Just be careful and do the mission properly…" he said calmly. Even though the girl was dangerous and heartless, she was still a precious person to him. "The boss doesn't tolerate failures and he's expecting a lot from you." He would go crazy if the boss will do something to harm her.

"You don't have to worry about me, Ani-sama," she said, leaning her head on the hooded-guy's shoulder. "I'll be fine. This mission is pretty easy for me. Sakura Mikan will be in the boss's hand very soon. Besides, I have this guy at my disposal." He caressed the guy's cheek and kissed it gently before releasing him.

Asuka felt like she was going to get sick. The silver-haired girl was sure acting like a total slut to the guy. Still, the girl was not to be underestimated, she thought. She had to warn everyone about the group, especially her favorite Mikan-chan, but she was a bit chary at the moment. One unwise movement could be the end for her. It was a good thing that she was wearing the bracelet. Without it, she might have been already spotted or caught. She just had to be patient until the right chance comes.

"Learn to control your other self as well," Reo advised the girl. He knew that the girl was powerful, but her other personality was always a problem. She told him a while ago that she almost killed Narumi-sensei if it weren't for her other self. He was thankful that Narumi was still alive, but he also felt disappointed at the same time.

"I will, Ani-sama, I will…" the girl said, twirling a lock of her hair with her index finger.

Turning around, Reo ordered one of his subordinates to teleport them back to the lair. He basically just came to academy to check up on the girl and the status of the mission. Giving the girl one more look, he mouthed a silent 'take care' before he and his men teleported out of sight.

"I'm really glad Ani-sama came to visit me," the girl said as she gazed at the moon. "I was starting to miss him badly." She tilted her head and shifted her eyes on a particular tree. Her lips slowly curved into a malicious grin.

Asuka swallowed hard, her heart skipping a beat. The silver-haired girl knew that she was there. The question was how? How did the girl know she was there hiding? Her creations were always efficient and potent, and she was confident that her bracelet was hiding her presence. However, for some reason the silver-haired girl was able to sense her.

"You were there the whole time, weren't you?" the girl said, tucking her hair behind her head. "You must be using some kind of device to hide yourself, but that device won't work against my Alice."

_I'm so dead! What should I do now? _Asuka had thought of 5 possibilities of escaping, but all the chances were slim. From what the girl was saying, Asuka guessed that she must possess a very powerful Latent Ability type Alice. She can't act careless in that situation.

The girl took the guy's hand and started walking away. "You don't like to show yourself…Well, that's fine with me…" she said in a spoiled-brat tone. "I may not know who you are, but I'm sparing your life. If I catch you spying on us again, I'll definitely kill you. And oh, feel free to tell everyone about our conversation. I'm sure they'll be alarmed." She laughed like a witch as she snapped her fingers.

In an instant, the tree Asuka was sitting on split in half. "What the hell?!" she uttered, as the tree fell down. Quick as a cat, Asuka jumped up and used the broom to fly up high. She breathed the sigh of relief once she reached a safe altitude. "That was so close…" She considered herself lucky at that point. She was given a chance. The girl could have easily killed her with her abilities. Aside from the girl, she thought about the hooded guy and wondered who he could be. In any case, she knew she had to inform the higher-ups about her discovery and near-death experience in order to warn them about the AAO. Without a second thought, she flew towards the teacher's dorm in lightning-fast speed.

* * *

The safest place for Mikan to reside, where the ghost or any malicious spirits cannot get her, was in the Hana Hime Shrine that belonged to the middle school principal, Hii-sama. The whole shrine was protected by a powerful barrier conjured by the principal herself, and the place was heavily guarded by female operatives specialized in hand-to-hand combat and security measures. The guards were all beautiful maidens dressed in kimonos and they all looked innocent yet they were deadly. With the barrier and the guards, Mikan's life was assured there.

The middle school principal was appalled at what she just heard. Her favorite girl, the most treasured one in the academy, got attacked by the ghost again. She became more alarmed after she listened to Narumi's story about a silver-haired girl. She was seated comfortably in a large tatami room, fanning herself as usual, as she discussed matters with the people before her. Yuka, Subaru, Sakurano and Narumi-sensei were all there, while Mikan lay unconscious in another room with Natsume guarding her.

"The blood samples taken from Hyuuga Natsume's room and from the Southern Woods were identical," Subaru explained when he was asked by Yuka about the blood. He adjusted his glasses, still keeping up a stoic face, before he went on. "And lab results show that the blood belonged to Shirasaki Yuki."

Yuka flinched at the name and clasped on her skirt tightly. She thought about the ghost again, remembering how he looked and spoke. Brown hair and deep green eyes—there was no mistake about it. She knew the ghost. She had met him before. She even befriended him. It was the sick guy from the hospital.

"This is most disturbing," Hii-sama said. "So, what we're dealing here is truly a ghost and not a member of the Anti-Alice Organization. He used to haunt the middle school dorms at night, continuously harassing girls because he was looking for his love. And now he has returned with eyes only for Mikan no Kimi. The question here is why is he so interested in her?"

Narumi turned his head at the fellow blonde to his right. "Sakurano-kun, do you have any information on the girl the ghost loved?" he asked, and Sakurano sadly shook his head. "Is that so? Then that's too bad."

"I-I think I know…" Yuka muttered, her head hanging low, as her eyes narrowed in concern. Everyone shifted their eyes on her and waited for her to explain. Breathing deeply, she lifted her chin and looked at Narumi. "Naru, you said that this Shirasaki Yuki has the Alice of Technopathy, right?"

"Yes…" the teacher answered.

"Then there's no doubt about," Yuka said. "The Phantom Lover is the same boy I met in the hospital several years ago."

"Yuka-senpai, you actually know him?" Narumi asked, and everyone became more interested.

The brunette nodded her head firmly. "I wasn't able to recognize him right away because that boy never told me his real name. He was always pessimistic about himself, and since he wouldn't tell me his name, I started calling him Zetsubou-kun…" She had a very sad expression when she was saying that. She knew she should be angry at the ghost for what he did to her daughter, but she felt pity for him instead. And she felt it was her fault to begin with.

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: The next chapter will feature Yuka's past with the ghost. Oh, if you're wondering what 'Zetsubou' means, it means 'Despair'. The name of the ghost is Shirasaki Yuki and he's actually a crossover character from the manga entitled Absolute Boyfriend. Since he's pretty much a genius in technology there, I decided on Technopathy for his Alice along with other two. Of course, conflicts will arise and more troubles. Please review! No flaming.


	24. Despair and Pain

JC: Chapter 24 is up! You'll get take a look at the past of Yuka with the Phantom Lover, Shirasaki Yuki. He's not as bad as you think. Asuka will also play a major role here. I don't want to keep you waiting, so let's get on with the story.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. Shirasaki Yuki is from the manga, Absolute Boyfriend by Yuu Watarase. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 24: Despair and Pain

"You mean the same Zetsubou-kun you once told me?" Narumi asked, and Yuka nodded her head in reply. "So, Zetsubou-kun is really Shirasaki Yuki-kun of the Technical Class. According to the records, he's three years younger than you, so he's a middle school student at that time."

Yuka pursed her lips and fidgeted with her skirt. "That's right…He was forcefully taken to this academy, even though he was so sick. He managed to achieve the Special Star rank because of his academic performance and skills in using his Alices. However, having the fourth-shaped Alice restricted him from attending classes like the rest. " She knew all this because Yuki had told her about his sad and miserable life. "And since he was always in the hospital, he never had any friends. Well, that was until he met…" She heaved a deep sigh as she brushed a hand through her hair. Her heart felt heavy with guilt.

"Until he met you, right?" Narumi muttered.

Yes, Yuka had to admit that she was the very first friend Yuki ever had in the academy, and she could still remember the look on his face whenever she comes to visit him at the hospital. He had always enjoyed her company. Her friendship with him bloomed like flowers, but she never realized that Yuki was slowly falling in love with her. "One day, I got into an accident and injured my left arm. I was then rushed to the hospital by sensei for immediate care. Since I was going to stay there for a couple of days, I was placed in room right beside his." At the time she was brought to her hospital room, a curious Yuki passed by and made eye contact with her. And Yuka noticed how sad he looked. "I occasionally see him strolling around the hospital garden. People try to talk to him but he would just ignore them." It was true that Yuki had proved to be a very cold person. But Yuka felt that there was more to him than his cold façade.

"How did you become friends with him, Yuka-san?" Sakurano asked.

There was moment of silence, as the memories of her meeting with Shirasaki Yuki flowed into her mind. Yuka lowered her gaze on her lap and clasped her hands together. She began telling them the events that occurred in the past. She could say that things didn't go so well at first between her and Yuki. Even after she saved him from falling down the stairs, the boy didn't bother to thank her.

_"You have to be careful next time," a 17-year old Yuka advised a 14-year old Yuki. She had just saved him from falling, because he suddenly lost his balance. He was fairly weak for a guy and his complexion was so pale. _

_Yuki shoved himself away from her, turned around, and walked away. He acted like nothing happened, as if Yuka wasn't even there in the first place. _

_With her left arm in a cast, Yuka slightly raised her right fist near her chest. "What is up with that guy?" She ran and caught up with him. "Hey you! Weren't you a bit rude? I mean, I just saved your life." She grabbed his arm and forced him to face her. The moment her eyes met his deep green ones, she got stunned. His eyes were almost lifeless, and Yuka felt so much sadness within them. It was her first time to see such eyes. _

_"So, what if you saved my life? I don't care…" He spoke in monotone as his stoic expression remained unfazed. He brushed his arm away from her and spun around on his heels. "My life is worthless anyway." As he took one step forward, pain shot through his body like current. He dropped on his knees, clenching his chest tight, as he coughed a couple of times. _

_Feeling worried, Yuka knelt down to his level and placed a hand on his back. "Hey, what's the matter?" she asked, but the boy didn't answer her. He was too busy coughing and struggling with the pain inside of him. "I better get a doctor." She was about to call for help, but Yuki stopped her by grabbing her free hand. She looked down at him with a questioning look, and the boy just shook his head. _

_"Don't call anyone…" he said in a shaky voice. "I'll be fine…I don't need a doctor." _

_"Are you stupid? You're in pain!" Yuka uttered, and the boy started coughing blood. Her eyes grew wide in an instant. "Just wait here, okay?" _

_"No…please…" he begged, his expression changing into a more desperate one. "I'm sick and tired of being taken care of. I know I'm not going to live another year with my condition, so I might as well die right now." He had stopped coughing and got back to his feet. _

_Yuka narrowed her gaze at him. "You want to die?" she muttered through gritted teeth. She grasped him by the collar and pulled him closer to her. Her sudden actions surprised the boy obviously. "Are you that hopeless, huh?"_

_He turned his head away and closed his eyes. "Yeah, it's hopeless," he said, clenching his fist. "No matter what the doctors do, they can't cure me. I've been sick for as long as I could remember and it's all because of my Alices. It's strange, though. Aren't Alices supposed to be gifts? Well, to me, they're nothing but a curse." _

_"Then you have the fourth shape of Alice…" Yuka muttered in a low voice as her eyes softened. She released his collar and moved her hand towards his cheek. "It must have been hard for you. But…You shouldn't give up on life because of that. You said that you've been sick for as long as you could remember, right? That means you've endured with this sickness for a long time now. There must be hope. The fact that you're still living now means there's still hope for you." She was trying to see things in an optimistic way for his sake, but it doesn't seem to work for him. _

_The boy was overly pessimistic. He only smirked at her and slapped her hand away. "Hope is such an empty word for me…" he said. "There's no hope for me. I've only managed to survive all these years because of medicines and therapies. Don't you know how sickening it is to live your life in a hospital? It's like I'm a bird living in a cage. A person like you won't understand me. Nobody can understand how I feel." _

_Maybe he was right. Maybe she didn't understand his feelings. But the boy was giving up on life. It was wrong. Yuka was never the type to give up. "If your life is so hopeless, then why don't you try living your life to the fullest everyday? Since you can't tell when you're going to die, why don't you start being happy today?" _

_Yuki shrugged and walked off. "I don't want to stay here and listen to your nonsense," he muttered coldly. "I know you're only feeling sorry for me." _

_Well, indeed she was feeling sorry for him, but not because he was sick. It was because his view of life was depressing and the fact he was a lonely person. She thought that maybe the guy just needed someone to care for him, someone to talk to him. And she wondered if she could be that someone for him. "Hey, Zetsubou-kun!" she yelled. "Let's be friends so that I can understand you more." _

_The boy's cheeks turned slightly red. "What did you just call me?" he asked, peering over his shoulders to look at her. Once she saw the angelic smile on her face, he just blushed more. "And, us, friends? You've got to be kidding me. I barely know you and I prefer being alone." He was trying to cover up his awkward face by being sarcastic. _

_"That's why I'll call you Zetsubou-kun from now on," Yuka said cheerfully. "You have this weird aura that gives off an 'I'm always in despair' impression." _

_He turned around to face her properly and showed her a fist. "Don't make up names for me!" he uttered. _

_"Zetsubou-kun is a fitting name for you, so get used to it from this day on!" _

_"Please don't call me that!" _

_That night, Yuka paid Yuki a visit in his room—even without the permission of the latter. Yuki had ominously demanded Yuka to leave his room several times. To no avail, Yuka just stayed in his room and felt right at home. "Are you trying to make me angry?" he questioned her. _

_Yuka hopped on his bed and grabbed an apple from the basket on top of the bedside table. "No…I'm just keeping you company, Zetsubou-kun," she answered before taking a bite of the apple. _

_"My name is not Zetsubou-kun!" he boomed, flailing his arms up and down. _

_"Anyway, how are you feeling now?" she asked, ignoring his protest. "You were in a lot of pain earlier, and you didn't even consult a doctor about it." _

_Yuki roughly dropped on a couch and crossed his arms. "My health is none of your concern, you…um…erm…" He scratched his head in frustration and pointed a finger at Yuka. "Wait, what is your name anyway?" _

_"It's Azumi Yuka," she promptly replied, taking another bite of the apple. _

_"And you're a high school student, correct?" _

_"Hmm…How did you know?" _

_"Just a lucky guess…" _

_"Then let me guess too…" Yuka eyed Yuki for a while and bit off the apple again. "I know you're a middle school student. Am I wrong about that?" _

_Yuki deeply sighed. "No, you're correct," he said. "So, Azumi-san, why are you wasting my precious time being here? Don't you have anything else to do aside from being a complete bother to me?" He always had the habit of speaking to others bluntly. He was even mean to his doctors and nurses. _

_"You know what…" Yuka threw her finished apple into the trash bin and hopped off the bed. She approached Yuki and looked down at him seriously. "I really hate people like you. Talking like it's the end of the world is really annoying. Don't act like you're oh-so-right just because you're sick." _

_"Hmph…You're going to lecture me again about hope and life?" Yuki smirked at her. "Go on ahead. But no matter what you say, my views won't change." _

_"Figures…" She bent down and poked his temple with her finger. "You're just a coward who's trying to run away from problems. Why don't you be a real man and struggle with life?" _

_His smirked turned into a deep frown. "Me? A coward? How can you say that? Azumi-san, at least I'm the kind of person who's not afraid to die." _

_"You want to die because you're a coward. You're basically running away. That's why you're Zetsubou-kun!" _

_A vein popped out of his head. "Stop calling me that!" _

_"Zetsubou-kun!" She kept on calling him by that name for several times as she pinched his cheek hard. When he reached his boiling point, he attempted to grab her, but Yuka was too fast for him. She eluded him and backed away from him in instant. "You're sickness must've made you so slow, huh, Zetsubou-kun?" She didn't know why, but teasing him was really fun. _

_Gritting his teeth, he lunged forward and tackled Yuka towards the bed. "Got you now!" he exclaimed as the two of them landed on the bed. He balanced himself on his elbows and looked at her. "You're going to pay for calling me with that ridiculous nickname." _

_A mass of her long brown hair was covering a part of her face. As she brushed away the hair, she opened her eyes and met a pair of deep green orbs above her. Her face was so close to his, and their lips seemed like they could make contact any minute. She didn't mind the closeness, and she just gave him a friendly smile. _

_Yuki once again blushed and finally noticed the distance between them. His body seemed like it didn't want to move away from her. It was only when Yuka said, "Are you trying to hit on a senpai?" that he snapped back to reality. He removed himself from her and backed up against a wall. "I-I'm sorry about that Azumi-san…I didn't mean too…" _

_Yuka sat up on the bed and giggled. "Don't worry about that," she said. "It was my fault to begin with anyway. By the way, you're really cute when you blush, Zetsubou-kun." _

_Yuki's face turned redder than a tomato. He didn't get irritated by the nickname. Instead, he got flustered by the compliment. He had never been called, well, handsome yes, but not cute in all his life. He felt kind of happy at some point. _

_"Zetsubou-kun, don't go falling in love with me, okay?" Yuka said, giggling so sweetly, making Yuki blushed even more. _

_"Don't flatter yourself!" Yuki retorted, raising a fist in midair. "And stop calling me Zetsubou-kun!" _

_"But I like the name!" _

_"Well, I hate it!" _

_Yuka could no longer sensed any sadness in him, unlike before, and his eyes seemed a little brighter now. She felt happy that she was able to lighten him up. She hoped that she will be able to erase the negativity in his heart and mind completely. She believed that he still had a chance in life. A person like him deserved to enjoy life. _

_And so, Yuka spent everyday with Yuki in the hospital as much as she could. Even after she was discharged from the hospital since her injury was all healed, she still visited him. Sure, she also made time for her friends and her favorite sensei back at school, but she always has a reserved time for Yuki. She talked about Yuki to her sensei and Narumi as well. However, Narumi was too busy flirting with her to listen about her interesting stories about Yuki. _

_She was able to notice some changes in Yuki. The more she spent time with him, the happier he became. She could no longer sense the loneliness in his eyes and he seemed more open up than before. She listened to his sad story of his life, and comforted him in the process, and enlightened him with words of encouragement. Yuki had also entertained her with his Alice of Technopathy and Teleportation, but he refused to reveal to her his third Alice. She also celebrated his birthday with him in the hospital, bought him a gift, gave him chocolates on Valentines, and celebrated Christmas with him. She formed a good bond with him, even though the lad refused to befriend anyone else. Yuka had tried to introduce him to her sensei and her friends at school, but he would always make excuses to not see them. Well, Yuki was open to Yuka, but he was still secured in his own world. _

_Then one day, a tragedy fell like cement on the academy, and Yuka was drowned in a world of suffering. Her precious sensei was killed, though rumors said that he committed suicide. Yuka believed that sensei would never kill himself. She knew that someone in academy was responsible. All her life she had been treated like a thief by others because of her Stealing-Alice. Only a few people became close to her, became her true friends. One of them was her sensei, the person she eventually fell for. He meant everything for her, and his death has taken a big toll in her heart. As if that wasn't enough, the higher-ups were even planning to use her as a puppet, a mere tool, and she couldn't accept that. Because of that, she was not able to visit Yuki anymore. She mourned over the loss and isolated herself from almost everyone. Then she came to a conclusion at last. With a heavy heart, she decided to leave the academy. _

_She bid farewell to her close friends in tears. She almost hesitated to face the young Sakurano Shuuichi and Imai Subaru at that time. And she cried so much after she bid goodbye to Narumi. She was sorry for not being able to return his feelings. Her love was meant for sensei alone. Of course, before leaving for good, she remembered one lad in the hospital. _

_She visited him at night and found him awake on his bed. Yuki was happy to see her again, but he frowned at the sight of her distressed expression. Asking her what's wrong, he hopped off the bed and approached her. But Yuka only backed away from him and told him not to come any closer. _

_"What's the matter, Azumi-san?" he asked, looking concerned. "I heard something happened in the academy, and I thought you got hurt. I was really worried about you. But since you're here, I'm so relieved." _

_"I did get hurt…a lot…" Her voice was flat and emotionless. She touched her chest as tears flowed out of her eyes. "Zetsubou-kun…" _

_Under normal circumstances, he would burst or get mad at her for calling him with that nickname again, but seeing those tears made him more worried for her. "Azumi-san…why are you crying? There's something wrong, right? Please tell me… Maybe I can help you." _

_Yuka slowly shook her head and gave him a sad smile. "Zetsubou-kun, I've really enjoyed being friends with you. Even though you're so pessimistic, I still like you." _

_Yuki was getting the feeling that she was going somewhere far away from him. "Azumi-san, why are you saying such things right now? This is weird…" _

_"I'm leaving the academy for good," Yuka said, and Yuki just gasped. "I'm sorry, but I can't stay here any longer. I'll be forever miserable if I stay here." _

_"You can't leave, Azumi-san!" Yuki walked up to her and grasped her shoulders firmly. "And what are you saying that you'll be miserable. What exactly happened, huh? Come on, tell me!" He was already shaking her, and she continued to cry out tears. He could see how hurt she was inside. _

_Yuka buried her face in his chest and sobbed more. Her whole body felt so weak and she felt like crumbling any second. "Sensei…The sensei that I loved is dead…" she muttered, and Yuki's eyes grew wide in surprise. "He's dead and he's never coming back. He was killed..." _

_"Azumi-san…" Yuki hugged her tightly and brushed his hands through her long brown locks. Somehow, he felt jealous at the sensei she loved. She always talked animatedly about her beloved sensei to him, and he would always be bothered by that. And because of that sensei, Yuka was planning to leave the academy, to leave him. Yuki didn't want that to happen. He wanted her to be always at his side. Yuka had become a very important person to him. "No…you don't have to go… I'm sure everything will turn out okay in this school. So, please, don't go, Azumi-san. I need you here…" _

_She gently pushed herself away from him and faced him with the same sad smile. "I'm really sorry, but I can't…I need to go," she said. "I'm sure you can live without me. You're strong, you know… I'm sure you'll get over this sickness. Just don't give up, okay?" With that, she spun around and walked towards the door. _

_"Azumi-san, don't go!" Yuki uttered. "Please! I want you here! I need you…and that's because…" He bit his lip and clenched his fists hard. He was hesitant to say those words in his heart, but he had to. "I love you…I love you with all my heart, Azumi-san…" _

_Yuka reached for the knob and opened the door. Without looking back at Yuki, she said, "I'm sorry, but I can't return your feelings. As you know, I only love sensei…" She took a step forward and let out a sigh. "Goodbye, Zetsubou-kun…" Those were her last words before she closed the door behind her. _

Narumi, Sakurano, Subaru, and Hii-sama were all silent as they listened to Yuka's story. "And a few days later, after I left the academy, I heard reports saying that a student committed suicide. Since I never knew what Zetsubou-kun's real name, I thought it was somebody else." She placed a palm on her forehead and tilted her head a bit to the side. "I didn't expect him to kill himself. I-I should've just…"

Sakurano placed a hand on her shoulder. "Yuka-san, please don't blame yourself for his death," he said caringly. "He chose to kill himself because he couldn't take the rejection. His will wasn't that strong."

Subaru adjusted his glasses as he nodded his head. "I have to agree," he said coldly with a little hint of concern. He was usually emotionless and cold to others, but he has a soft spot for Yuka and Mikan—even though he doesn't show it. "There is no need for you to stress about it."

"Still…I feel so guilty…" Yuka tried to hold back the tears. She didn't want to cry like a weakling in front of the people who admired and cared for her. She was touched how Sakurano and Subaru comforted her, but the guilt in her heart was really weighing on her.

"So the reports about the ghost committing suicide because of a rejection were true," Narumi muttered, cupping his chin. "Not only that, we've finally found the answer to why the ghost is interested in Mikan-chan…"

Hii-sama tapped her fan on her palm. "There is no doubt that Mikan no Kimi bears a striking resemblance to her mother," she said as she started fanning herself again.

"The same face…the same smile…" Narumi said as he turned to look at Yuka. "Mikan-chan is definitely like your copy, Yuka-senpai."

The principal closed her fan and stared straight at the sliding door behind Yuka and the group. "Before we continue further, I would like to invite the two of them to join us," she said, and the group wondered what she was talking about. As she pointed her fan at the door, her lips curved into a cunning yet elegant smile. "I know you two have been there from the start, Mikan no Kimi, Guren no Kimi…"

On the cue, the door slid open, revealing the two middle school students. Mikan had been brought into the Hana Hime Shrine unconscious, but it didn't take her long to regain consciousness. She almost freaked out as she remembered the events that took place in her room, but it was a good thing Natsume was there to calm her down. After calming down, she told Natsume that she wanted to talk to her mother because she guessed that the ghost might have fallen in love with Yuka before. Her hunch was confirmed when she and Natsume eavesdropped on Yuka while she was telling the story minutes ago.

Mikan, who was dressed in a pure white kimono, motioned over to her mother's side and took her hands. "Okaa-san, the ghost, no…Shirasaki-kun loves you very much and his desire for you is really overwhelming."

"Yes, I know…" Yuka sadly said, lowering her gaze. "But…he's after you now. He thinks that you're me since you look like the younger me way back before. Mikan, I understand his feelings, but I don't want him to take you away."

"Can't we do anything for him, Okaa-san?" Mikan asked. "Although I've tried telling him about my feelings, he doesn't want to accept it. If this keeps up, his soul will never be at peace."

"Don't you find this strange?" Narumi said, crossing his arms over his chest. "In the past, Shirasaki-kun's spirit was put to rest by someone with the Spirit Manipulation Alice, and since then his spirit never returned."

"That's correct," Sakurano added. "The Phantom Lover had never appeared over the years. So, why is it that he appears now? Why at this particular time?"

Narumi shook his head. Looking for that answer proved to be difficult, and they needed more clues. "All I can say is that it's confirmed that this ghost is not working for the Anti-Alice Organization."

The Spirit Manipulation Alice rang a bell in Mikan's head. "Wait a minute, You-chan has that Alice!" she said, standing up. "You-chan can do something about this ghost."

Hii-sama laughed quietly as she clasped her hands together on her lap. "As usual, you bring up such interesting ideas, Mikan no Kimi. Well, you yourself are interesting, so I shouldn't doubt you for one second." She gave Mikan a smile before she turned to Natsume. "We can use Hijiri Youichi to drive the ghost away, but it will be risky. If anything goes wrong, you have to be there to protect Mikan no Kimi at all cost. Am I making myself clear, Guren no Kimi?" She narrowed her mysterious eyes at Natsume.

Natsume only replied to her with a simple nod and shrugged. He hated taking orders from anyone, but the middle school principal was a very intimidating figure in the academy. It was best not to fail her expectations.

* * *

Looking for Mikan all night long really took a lot of energy from Asuka. By the time she got back to her dorm room, it was already two o'clock in the morning. Where could Mikan-chan be? She searched high and low for her. She checked Mikan's Special Star room, Natsume's room, the laboratories, the teacher's dorm, and didn't find her. It was pointless to continue at night, so she decided to resume her search in the morning.

Asuka woke up bright and early, and got dressed immediately after taking a short shower. Using her teleportation bangle, she disappeared from her room and appeared in Mikan's room. Much to her dismay, Mikan was nowhere in the room. "My adorable Mikan-chan, where are you?" she muttered with a sigh. She plopped down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. "What if that girl got you already?" She recalled the silver-haired girl again from last night and shivered at the thought.

She hopped off the bed and teleported out of the room. She appeared on the roof of the middle school dorm and scanned the surroundings. _Mouri Reo…That girl…and that hooded guy… _Those people were a threat to the academy, to Mikan. She thought long and hard about what to do, and figured that only certain people should know about the appearances of the Anti-Alice members. If she would announce her discovery carelessly, then havoc might break loose in the academy. Seeing that she can't find Mikan, she went off to find Narumi-sensei, knowing how close the blonde teacher was to Mikan. _And he might know where Mikan-chan is… _As soon as she reached the faculty building, she saw Narumi coming out of the office. In her excitement, she tackled the teacher down to the floor.

"Kawashima-san?" Narumi muttered in surprise. Okay, he would normally get hugged by his female students every now and then, but they had never tackled him down. Kawashima Asuka had really taken him by surprise and he wondered why the hell she did that all of sudden.

Asuka lifted her head and looked at him with shimmering heterochromatic eyes of admiration. "You know, sensei, you're just like a shoujo manga character!" she exclaimed happily. "You're so handsome and all. Your face is perfectly flawless. You're the ideal bishounen!" She squealed, giggled, and hugged him more. She was in otaku-mode again.

Narumi sweat dropped and chuckled. "I'm flattered and all, Kawashima-san," he said nervously, "but may you please get off of me? This is really awkward…" Of course, who wouldn't feel awkward? A high school student was lying on top of a teacher. If anyone saw them, Narumi will be hanged.

"Yes, sensei!" Still cheerful and booming with energy, Asuka got off of Narumi and helped him get back to his feet. "I'm sorry for attacking you like that, sensei. I just can't help it. You're so hot!"

For some reason, he felt weird when he heard the compliment. He was used to getting compliments, especially from girls, but the way Asuka said it sort of has a different meaning to it. Well, putting that thought aside, Narumi asked her if she wanted something from him.

"Sensei, do you know where Mikan-chan?" Asuka asked. "I've been looking for her since last night. I have to tell her something very important."

"Mikan-chan…?" Narumi knew where she was, but he could not tell Asuka. The middle school principal had explicitly ordered him not to speak of Mikan's whereabouts. It was for precautionary means. "I'm sorry, but I don't know. She's probably somewhere with her mother right now."

Asuka heaved a deep sigh. "Is that so?" she muttered as she placed a hand on her waist. "Well, in any case, you have the right to know as well. After all, you're Mikan-chan's alleged father…" Her expression grew serious as she gazed directly in his eyes.

"What is it, Kawashima-san?"

She was going to tell him about Mouri Reo and the rest of the Anti-Alice members with him. She was going to tell him to take care of Mikan, because their goal was surely her. She was about to open her mouth to talk until someone came and called her name. It was a familiar voice. A big vein popped on her head as she turned to the person who called her. She raised her arm and pointed a finger at the person. "YOU, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" she exclaimed loudly.

Kawashima Kyo sweat dropped at his sister's weird reaction. "I'm here to see a teacher of mine," he replied in a flat tone. "I'm assigned to help him since I am class representative of my class."

Asuka shrugged and crossed her arms. "Hmph… You like being the gentle honor student as usual, huh?" she said.

The younger Kawashima raked his fingers through his platinum-blue hair and smiled cunningly at his sister. "So, what if I do?" he said. "Don't feel so high and mighty just because you're a Special Star, Nee-chan. I'm going to catch up with you. Just you wait and see…"

In a flash, Asuka unleashed her paper fan and whacked Kyo's head. "Instead of babbling, why don't you just go to the teacher already?!" she shouted. "Your presence here is giving me a headache."

"Well, your paper fan never fails to give me a headache," Kyo said, rubbing his head.

The Kawashima siblings entered a heated argument, with one trying to outsmart the other by words and insults, leaving Narumi-sensei baffled. He wondered what Asuka was about to tell him, noticing her grave expression a while ago, but he figured it might just be school problem. Well, since the two seemed to ignore the fact that a teacher was right there with them, Narumi excused himself properly from them and walked off. He wasn't able to walk long because Asuka stopped him.

"Sensei, I still have to talk to you about something," Asuka said, putting on a puppy-dog face. "So, please don't go, okay?"

Kyo placed a hand on his head and sighed deeply. "Man, that stupid face of yours is getting old, Nee-chan," he muttered, and he immediately got hit by the paper fan. "Ouch! Nee-chan, quit it!"

Asuka put away the paper fan and went over to Narumi-sensei to hug his arm firmly. She hissed like a snake at Kyo and stuck out her tongue. "I'm taking sensei for a while," she said. "So, don't you dare follow us! You'll only be a bother!" Before Kyo could respond with a curse, Asuka zoomed away, dragging the blonde teacher with her.

"Nee-chan is acting weirder than usual," Kyo said.

Reaching an isolated place, which happened to be just around the corner with no people around, Asuka breathed the sigh of relief as she leaned against the wall. She knew she was being extra mean to her brother, but she had to ditch Kyo. She also cannot let Kyo know of her discovery. She doesn't want him to get involved. Even though she doesn't get along with Kyo, Asuka still loved him more than anyone else. Kyo was her precious little brother after all.

"Kawashima-san, to drag me off like that…" Narumi gave her a concerned look. "What you're going to say to me must be really important."

Asuka nodded her head as she straightened up. "Don't misunderstand this, sensei. I'm not going to confess to you or anything like that. Even though you're super hot and fitting to be a manga character, I just treat you as a teacher." She was talking way too fast, but she was just saying those things to calm her nerves. "Anyway, I want to tell you…"

"What is it?" Narumi said, though he was slightly disturbed about the 'super hot' and 'manga' thing.

Her expression turned serious again. "Sensei, Mikan-chan is in danger…" she started.

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: Natsume and Mikan moments in the next chapter, everyone! Please look forward to it. I have to warn you that some characters will lose sight of themselves, in other words, lose control. The silver-haired girl, the other side of Aya, will make her move on the next chapter. Youichi will appear too. After all, his Alice will be useful against the ghost. That's all for now. Please don't forget to review this chapter. No flaming.


	25. Uncontrollable Yearning

JC: This is chapter 25. I am definitely writing this up to 30 or more. I can't believe the reviews I've been getting. I'm so happy that a lot appreciates this story. I'm more inspired than ever. As I've warned in the previous chapter, some characters will start to lose control. Aya and Youichi will make their appearances here. And oh, there's more trouble for Mikan.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. Shirasaki Yuki is from the manga, Absolute Boyfriend by Yuu Watarase. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 25: Uncontrollable Yearning

Sakura Mikan opened her eyes. The room was bathed in the morning sunlight. Not too surprising, considering that it was already 7:30 in the morning. She stretched lazily on the futon. She was amazed that she was able to sleep well, almost well. The story about Shirasaki Yuki lingered in her mind, and even though the ghost had sinned against her, she felt sorry for him. She was never the person to hold grudges on anyone. She was too forgiving. Most girls would be enraged or traumatized for what the ghost did, but she was different. She was called innocent and naïve by others, but she was very sensitive when it comes to the feelings of another person. At that moment, she understood the pain and sadness that Yuki had to go through. She wanted to help him, so he could be at peace. But what can she do? She turned to face her mother. The futon was empty beside her. Had her mother gone out already? She remembered Yuka telling her that she would try to find a solution for Yuki and for her as well.

She sat up on the futon and released her braids, letting her brown tresses fall gracefully on her back. She folded hers and her mother's futon neatly, and fixed herself up. She padded out of the room on bare feet and head straight to the dining room.

Natsume was in front of the open dining room sliding doors, his back to her. He was wearing his kimono. Happily Mikan joined him. A quick glance from him acknowledged her presence but he didn't speak.

"What's for breakfast?" she asked. "I'm starving. Did you eat already, Natsume?"

"Go check for yourself…" He went inside and knelt down before the dining table.

Was it just her or Natsume was acting colder than usual? Something was oddly different about him, she thought. But she dismissed that thought as she sat down and saw the wonderful breakfast spread on the table. "Wow! Looks good! Time to eat!" She picked up a pair of chopsticks and began feasting on the delicious meal.

Natsume began eating as well but in a fairly slow way. His mannerism didn't go unnoticed by Mikan. As she gulped down her food, she took brief glances at him. Something was definitely up. Natsume looked weary, and he didn't possess his usual charisma and poise. She was beginning to feel worried about him.

After breakfast, the two of them went back to her room. They were excused from attending classes for the day, and Narumi-sensei promised them that he'll make up a perfectly good excuse for the class. It was imperative that they should keep the Phantom Lover a secret from the other students. Such a ghost would stir up a commotion in the academy, and it might create loopholes for the Anti-Alice Organization to strike. Mikan didn't mind being excused from class, but she wanted to see her classmates. It has been a while since she spent time with them. Well, at least Natsume was with her all the time, but the lad was acting weird for some reason. Mikan can't figure him out. He wasn't teasing her, tormenting her, or doing any perverted stuffs.

Natsume stood beside the window, his eyes focused on the trees below, as his expression remained stoic. Mikan motioned over to his side and tugged on his sleeve. As he looked at her, Mikan gave off a very cute yet worried expression. "Natsume, are you all right?" she asked. "You don't seem to be acting like your usual self."

He rolled his eyes away from her. "It's nothing."

"It doesn't look like it's nothing to me. Is this about the Shirasaki-kun?"

"Why are you willing to forgive that bastard?!" His voice was angry all of a sudden, his words an accusation.

Mikan took an involuntary step backwards. "I'm sorry… I…" The fact that she felt sorry for the ghost was one reason why she was willing to forgive him. Who could blame Yuki for being broken-hearted and sad? He was a boy with no hopes and dreams. He had seen the light after he met Yuka, and then he was sucked into the darkness again. "But you have to understand that Shirasaki-kun is—"

"Damn it! Don't say sorry to me!" He grabbed her upper arms with fingers that drilled into her skin. "I'm just frustrated… That stupid ghost touched you. He almost raped you. He hurt you! Yet, you want to help him!"

"Natsume…" She was shaken by the fury in his voice and the seriousness of his crimson red eyes. "I know that he did the unthinkable to me…But I don't want to be angry at him. Please understand… Helping him is the best way to resolve this problem." There were times that she would act childish and immature. But when it comes to helping others, she acted very mature and perceptive.

Gritting his teeth, he flung her away from him. "You're unbelievable. I don't know if you're being brave or just plain stupid, but it's reckless for you to help him." His hand clamped once more on her shoulder. "Mikan, he's crazy about you. If he takes you away from me, then I don't know what I'll do."

"You're so silly, Natsume," Mikan said, her voice kind and sincere. "I'm not worried, since you're here for me. You promised that you'll protect me, right? And I believe that you will keep your promise always." She caressed his cheek with one hand and gave him a smile.

"The hell I will." He thrust his hands into her hair and held her face immobile." Dammit, you're so troublesome. From the moment I met you, I knew you were different from the rest. I can't stand it. I don't know why it always has to be you. You're wanted by everyone. Those idiotic boys from your fan club, the Anti-Alice, the higher-ups, and that ghost…" Inside, he was getting emotional, but he still kept up an almost emotionless face on the outside.

Mikan leaned her body against him and breathed deeply on his chest. "Sorry for making you so worried about me, Natsume…" It was clear to her now—the reason why Natsume had been acting so odd earlier. The amount of concern Natsume was showing her made her really happy. Even though it wasn't evident on his face, Mikan knew that Natsume was just worried about her. She knew how special she was to him.

"I don't want to hand you over to anyone," Natsume said as he hugged her tight. "You belong only to me." Call him insanely possessive and he won't care. It was a fact that he was possessive. Heck, he was crazy in love with Mikan.

"Natsume…" she muttered his name softly like the gentle wind. She gazed up at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're the only guy for me and I will never exchange you for anyone."

A smirk for a smile, he tucked some hair behind her ear and brought his lips down to hers. He pulled back after a few seconds and said, "You better stay true to your word, polka-dots." He kissed her on the lips, trailed butterfly kisses down her neck, and touched her chest. Yeah, he was back to being regular, perverted Natsume, and Mikan didn't mind it though.

Just then, Natsume fell on his knees. He grabbed onto Mikan's kimono and started panting hard. He was feeling dizzy and his vision was getting all blurry. As soon as Mikan knelt down to his level, he leaned his head on her chest and clasped one of her hands. "Mikan…" he muttered.

Mikan gasped at the heat of his hand. She immediately touched his temple and found out that he was burning up. "Natsume, you have a fever!" she exclaimed. "I have to call a doctor." She tried to stand up, but Natsume brought her down to the floor.

"Don't call for anyone," he said, climbing on top of her. "I'll be fine, as long as you're here…" His cheeks were flushed red because of his fever, and his eyes were a little weary.

"What are you saying?" Mikan said, a little panicky. "You're sick and you need help. A fever isn't something that should be taken lightly, you know."

He balanced himself on his elbows and lifted his head to meet her beautiful amber orbs. "Just shut up… I don't need any help," he said nonchalantly. "You being here is enough for me."

Mikan blushed madly at what he said and tried to shake it off by shaking her head violently. "Natsume, you idiot! I don't want your fever to get worse!" She clasped onto his kimono tightly and looked up at him. "You're the one who is making me worried now!"

"Am I now?" Natsume was about to kiss her on the lips again when he suddenly felt pain in his heart. He got off of her and backed up against a wall. He held his chest and squirmed in pain. He didn't know what was happening to him. The pain he was feeling—it wasn't caused by his Alice. It was caused by something else.

"Natsume, what's wrong?" Mikan asked, getting more concerned than ever.

At that moment, the pain in his heart disappeared and his eyes became blank and lifeless. He sat there, motionless for a moment, as Mikan looked at him nervously. Once he stood up, he hid his eyes under his raven locks and walked towards Mikan slowly. He moved like an undead zombie, and he appeared to be scary at that point.

Mikan was getting some bad vibes from him. Swallowing hard, she asked him if he was all right, but she didn't receive a reply. When Natsume pinned her hard on the floor, she scolded him for being so rough with her. And then she noticed his lifeless eyes. "Natsume…what's the matter with you?" she asked, and Natsume smirked in return. "Natsume?"

"It took me a while to get used to this body…" Natsume spoke in a somewhat different voice that was awfully familiar to Mikan. "My spirit couldn't leave that dorm, so I needed a body. Now that I have full control, I won't hesitate to use this guy for my benefit."

"Y-you're not Natsume!" Mikan yelled, struggling to push him away. "Let me go!"

"I don't know what you see in this Natsume guy. He's nothing. I can't believe you. First, you fell in love with a teacher, and now this bastard. Why can't you fall in love with me?"

Mikan's eyes grew wide as she realized the person above her. It was none other than Shirasaki Yuki and he was possessing Natsume's body. "Leave Natsume's body!" she said as she activated her Nullifying Alice. Much to her dismay, it didn't work. It seemed like Yuki was using his ghost attribute to posses Natsume and not his Alice. She was in big trouble. She had to think of something fast. Yuki, who was currently Natsume, was getting his hands all over her again.

"I love you so much," he said, and kissed her violently. She was dizzy when she looked at him and he nibbled on her ear, and then much to her dismay he yanked her into his arms and kissed her face. She had the overwhelming urge to blow him away, to steal Natsume's Alice and burn him, but she knew that if she used the Fire Alice, she would end up hurting Natsume. She felt herself falling backward and hit her head hard on the floor as he fell on her, and with one hand tore the top of her kimono, exposing her chest to him. "You're beautiful…"

"You don't have to do this…" she whispered, tears falling out of her amber eyes. He didn't have to rape her on the tatami floor of the Hana Hime mansion. "Please…don't…I beg you…" She was still whispering as he fondled with her.

"You'll give me what I want now…" he said, and then kissed her on the lips again.

"What can you get from doing this?" Mikan said as soon as Yuki released her lips. She looked up at him seriously and bravely, and slapped his face hard. "You can't force me to fall in love with you by doing this! Even though you're going to do it with me now, you won't be satisfied since you're in Natsume's body!"

Yuki grinned maliciously at her. "Clever girl, aren't you? You're just trying to get me out of this body. You know that once I'm out, the barrier of this place will send me away. I won't fall for your trick." She was indeed aiming for that, and she didn't expect Yuki to be able to suspect her trick right away. "And since you're being pretty stubborn, I guess I'll have to use my Alice on you."

"Your Alice will not have an effect on me," Mikan said without falter.

"Oh, yes, I'm aware of your Nullification Alice," he said. He tore a part of her kimono and used the torn clothing to wrap her wrists together above of her head. "Although you never told me that you had Nullification before…You just told me that your have the Stealing-Alice. Well, I guess it's only fair, since I didn't tell you about my third Alice."

Mikan remembered Yuka saying that Yuki had the Technopathy Alice, Teleportation Alice, and the Alice of Darkness. She had no idea what a Darkness Alice was capable of, but she was going to find out soon.

* * *

"This is strange, but I swear my Alice is working properly," young Hijiri Youichi said, his voice calm and cold as usual. He was summoned to the middle school dorm at an early hour by Azumi Yuka and Sakurano Shuuichi to do an investigation around the place. Being a student with the Spirit Manipulation Alice, his services were quite needed in order to deal with the ghost, as they told him. He didn't hesitate or refuse to help because his favorite 'Onee-chan' was involved. He would do anything to protect Mikan, so he was determined to drive away the ghost. The problem was he didn't sense the ghost's presence anywhere in the dorm. "The ghost is not here anymore."

"How can that be?" Yuka asked, cupping her chin with her hand. "Do you think it's possible for Zetsubou-kun to leave this dorm? In the past, his spirit only wandered around this place."

Sakurano was using his Intuition Alice as well and like Youichi, he couldn't sense the ghost. "Shirasaki Yuki did commit suicide in this dorm. I don't know how he ended up here or why he chose to come to this dorm instead of the high school dorm. Yuka-san, he did know that you were a high school student before, correct?"

Yuka nodded her head. "We don't exactly know what happened to him before he committed suicide. The old teachers here don't even know him too well since he was always in the hospital." At the time she rejected him, she couldn't feel anything but pain in her heart. Her sensei's death has devastated her. She wasn't even aware that she had hurt Yuki so much. "This is really my fault."

"No, it's not your fault, Yuka-san," Sakurano said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Shirasaki chose to end his life."

"Excuse me for interrupting," Youichi said, leaning his back against the wall, as he looked at the two adults coolly. "I just want to clarify some things about this ghost. You said that this ghost is overly obsessive with Mikan-onee-chan. This ghost is willing to do anything just to get her. Since the ghost isn't here anymore, I'm sure he's out there somewhere." He ran his hand though his unruly silver hair and sighed deeply. "Where is Onee-chan right now?"

Yuka felt her heart skipped a beat. The ghost was out of the dorm? How did Yuki managed to do get out? His spirit was bounded to the place. "Mikan is in the Hana Hime mansion," she said. "Hii-sama put up a strong barrier around the place, so she's pretty safe there."

Youichi slipped his hand into his pocket as his face darkened. "I wouldn't say that, Okaa-san," he said. Apparently, Youichi had grown to love Azumi Yuka like a mother, which was the reason why he called her Okaa-san. "In order for that ghost to leave this place, he might've possessed someone. Strong spirits can take over a body of a living person and use them at will." He was a spirit manipulator, so it was quite natural for him to be knowledgeable about ghosts.

"If that's the case, then whose body did he possessed?" Yuka asked.

"I don't have the answer to that," Youichi replied, straightening up. "But all I can say is that it's not one of the students at this dorm right now. I don't sense any ghostly aura in them."

Sakurano trusted in the words of the young student very well. Youichi may be a child, but he was smart and always composed. Sakurano knew that the Dangerous Ability Class has honed him into a fine student operative capable enough to handle a dangerous mission. Still, despite the stoic façade, Youichi can be a bit childish when it comes to Mikan and Yuka. Sakurano always noticed his change of behavior whenever he was with the two brunette girls. Going back to the serious matter at hand, he suddenly remembered the time when the ghost attacked Natsume. "Could it be…" he muttered. He looked up to meet the gaze of Yuka and said, "I think I have the answer to your question, Yuka-san…" Before he could say who, a girl appeared right behind him and gave him a big hug. Sakurano was most surprised by this.

"Wow! I can't believe I'm hugging Sakurano Shuiichi-sama! LUCKY!" the girl exclaimed with a big smile on her pretty face. She had long platinum-blue hair tied in a ponytail and heterochromatic eyes. "You're so handsome and all. You're an ideal bishounen just like Narumi-sensei!"

"B-Bishounen?" Yuka raised a brow. "What are you talking about?"

No matter how surprised he was, he managed to compose himself and say, "I believe you're Kawashima Asuka-san of the Technical Class." And Asuka nodded her head like a little girl. "I've heard so much about you. You're a Special Star student and your Alice is Materialization." He always stays updated with the prominent students of the academy.

"Coming from you, I feel so flattered," Asuka said, releasing her hold from him. "Anyway, I came here because Narumi-sensei asked me to…" Her face suddenly became serious as she looked up at Yuka. What she was about to say was indeed nerve-wrecking. As she remembered her encounter with the silver-haired girl, the moment she witnessed her eyes, her Alice and aura, she knew then that she was a force to be reckoned with.

* * *

Adrenaline pumping, Narumi-sensei ran along the path towards the Hana Hime mansion. After Asuka informed him about the Anti-Alice members she saw last night and the power of the silver-haired girl, he knew that Mikan was in more danger than before. He had asked Asuka to search for Yuka and Sakurano, and the heterochromatic-eyed girl immediately teleported away with her invention. And right now he was running like he was in a race. He hoped Mikan was still safe in the Hana Hime mansion. He believed in the security of the place, but his conscience was telling him otherwise for some reason. Picking up more speed, he arrived at the mansion in a few minutes. To his horror, he saw bodies lying on the ground. He almost puked. Some were completely drenched in blood; others had arms and legs torn apart, while a several few were only unconscious. It was a horrible sight to see.

He went inside the mansion and found more bodies on the floor. "This…This is too cruel…" he muttered, clenching his fists. "That girl…She's heartless." He heard screams from the next floor and raw sounds of flesh being cut. Immediately he climbed the stairs and in one big room, he saw Yamanouchi Shizune and one guard being blown away by the Alice of the silver-haired girl.

The girl locked her scarlet eyes on the blonde teacher and grinned maliciously at him. Placing one hand on the waist, she licked the blood off her other hand and let out a menacing laugh. "So good of you to come, sensei…" she said. "You got lucky the last time, but now I swear I'll kill you." Her words were serious as her eyes.

Narumi could feel her killer aura just by standing there. "You're purpose is to capture Mikan-chan, am I correct?" he said, feeling a little nervous. "So why do you have to kill so many people here? They did nothing wrong to you."

She crossed her arms and sighed. "I'm sorry for killing them, but they were in my way. They wouldn't let me in, so I had to do something." She brushed her fingers through her silver hair and placed her hand on her cheek. "Besides, killing is something that I'm really good at. I can call it a talent."

"What? A talent?" Narumi gritted his teeth and narrowed his amethyst eyes at her. "How can you call it a talent? You're crazy! Killing is not necessary! It's wrong!"

"I don't need you to lecture me, sensei, so you might as well shut the hell up!" Using her Alice, she lifted Narumi into the air and slammed him against the wall. "Don't you know its fun to kill? I've been doing it since I was little, so you can't blame me for loving it!" She activated her Alice once again and pinned him down on the floor.

He winced in pain and struggled to stand. To no avail, the power over him was too strong. From his previous encounter with her, he already knew that her Alices were Telekinesis, Barrier, and Teleportation. However, it seemed like she possessed another kind of Alice, because she was able to walk into the mansion without suffering the effects of Hii-sama's barrier.

She walked over to him and knelt down. "Everyone in this academy is so boring," she said, looking disappointed yet sadistic. "No one here is strong enough to stand against me. Oh, wait, only one person is capable of defeating me. Do you know who that person is, sensei?" She poked the blonde's chest and then his temple.

Narumi didn't need to think twice about the answer. He knew perfectly well that a strong Alice-user like her can only be defeated by another strong user. "Of course, it's none other than your target," he said in a serious tone, his expression darkening. "It's Mikan-chan…"

She traced imaginary lines on his face down to his neck and leaned down closer to him. "Bingo, you got it," she said. "And I'm glad that it's her and not some arrogant fool out there. Sakura Mikan is a very strong girl, and everything about her is admirable, especially her Alices. She's too special, and that's why I want to take her away from this academy which is full of trash."

"I don't think Mikan-chan would want that," Narumi said, maintaining calmness, as he stared straight into her scarlet eyes. "Mikan-chan loves this academy, and she would never join the Anti-Alice Organization."

The girl grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled them tight. "We'll see about that, sensei," she said. "After Shirasaki-kun is done with her, I doubt that she'll remember her love for this academy…"

Narumi's eyes grew wide. "You mean to say Shirasaki Yuki-kun is with her right now?!" he exclaimed. "How is that possible? His spirit never left the dorm before. And how do you know about him?"

She released his hair and stood up. "That's for me to know and for you to find out," she said with a sinister laugh. Snapping her fingers, she lifted Narumi with her Alice and threw him across the room. She then sensed a group of people approaching the mansion, so she looked out through the window. The moment she laid eyes on a brunette woman, her lips curved into a smirk. "Azumi Yuka… That traitorous woman is finally here." She spun around and walked out of the room in light steps and she twirled a lock of her hair with her finger. She was going to issue the next phase of her plan and that was to prepare a trap for the infamous Azumi Yuka.

Narumi's body hurt like hell, and he considered himself lucky to be alive. The girl didn't finish him off, and he really believed he was a goner. He was able to move again, but he felt a little weak due to the pain. As soon as he sat up, he saw a familiar person lying right beside him. "The Middle School Principal?!" he uttered, and then he quickly checked for her pulse. He sighed in relief when he felt her pulse. "She's still alive… Thanks goodness…" He heard running footsteps from outside the room and he hoped it wasn't the silver-haired girl again. He breathed the sigh of relief when he saw Yuka and Youichi entering the room.

"What happened to you, Naru?" Yuka said, kneeling down to his level. Then she saw the principal and gasped silently. "The principal… Is she all right? I saw a lot of dead bodies outside and—"

"The principal's fine, senpai," Narumi answered, touching her arm to ease her tension. "It's rather unfortunate that the others are dead, and it's all because of one girl." It was almost not possible to believe that a girl as the same age as Mikan could kill others without any remorse. Narumi almost shuddered as he recalled her piercing scarlet eyes and the sound of her sinister laugh.

Yuka held onto his hand and lowered her head a little. "A silver-haired girl with red eyes… She's the one responsible for the massacre." She looked up at Narumi, who gave a puzzled look, and said, "Kawashima Asuka told me everything. That's why I'm here right now. Sakurano-kun and Kawashima-san are helping the survivors downstairs, but I've brought Youichi-kun with me."

"Why did you bring Youichi-kun here?" he asked, shifting his gaze on the 7-year old boy. "It's too dangerous here. The girl will not hesitate to kill anyone. It's better if you escape now, Youichi-kun."

Youichi shrugged. "And why should I listen to you?" he said frostily, folding his arms in front of his chest. "I came here to help Okaa-san and Onee-chan. I'm also here for the stupid ghost that's been bothering Onee-chan."

"The ghost!" Narumi stood up in an instant and then dropped to the floor one knee. It seemed like his ankle was sprained. "Damn it! Yuka-senpai, Shirasaki-kun is with Mikan-chan! I don't know how he got out of the dorm, but you have to hurry and save her."

Yuka calmly forced Narumi to sit and lean against the wall. "The ghost probably possessed Natsume-kun in order to get out of the dorm," she said, digging her nails in her arm, as she looked at Narumi with eyes of concern. "I don't know what will happen after this, but I promise that I'll help Zetsubou-kun…"

"Senpai, let me help you," Narumi said, trying to get off his butt, but Yuka pushed him down. "Yuka-senpai, you need my help. You and Youichi-kun can't handle this by yourself. And it's very dangerous with that AAO member around."

"You're in no condition to help us, so stay here with the principal," Yuka demanded. "I'm sure Sakurano-kun will be here later to help." Patting his shoulders, she shot him an assured smile before she stood up.

"Just be safe, Yuka-senpai," Narumi told her, and Yuka nodded her head. "And do your best. Don't let the organization take your daughter."

Yuka clenched one hand as her expression changed from serene to firm. "I won't let the organization use Mikan like what they did to me," she said, spinning around on her heels. She turned to Youichi, her eyes giving him the message to go, and the lad nodded his head in perceptively. The two of them ran out of the room as fast as they could, determined to save Mikan from the AAO and the ghost.

* * *

Darkness has finally consumed her, and Yuki just smirked in delight. It was a difficult task, considering how powerful her Nullification Alice was, but he had a big advantage since he threatened to kill Natsume if she doesn't cooperate. It was disgusting for him to be in the body of Natsume. However, his body was necessary to carry out his plans. The Alice of Darkness, indeed, was a frightening Alice, and its effects on a person were deadly. He saw to it that he only unleashed enough Alice to corrupt her emotions and her mind, and not to kill her. And since she was unconscious, he took the pleasure of savoring her heavenly taste. He wished he could do it in his own body, but it was impossible for him. He just had to make do with Natsume's body.

"What are you doing to her?!" a high-pitched voice exclaimed loud enough to startle Yuki. Without removing his hand on Mikan's chest, he lifted his head and turned to the owner of the voice who was standing by the doorway. Yuki shot the person a death glare before he shifted his eyes back at the brunette below him. "Get away from her this instant!"

Yuki only smirked and said, "Aya-san, don't be a bother. As you can see, I'm quite busy." And he didn't want to be disturbed. He had longed for the moment to touch her and to feel her body against his. The brunette was all he needed to make him complete, and he can't let anything stop him from achieving what he wanted.

Aya gritted her teeth. "I said get away from her!" She used Telekinesis to fling him away from Mikan and pinned him against the wall. "Who gave you the right to violate her, huh? Didn't I make myself clear last time, Shirasaki-kun? I specifically told you not to harm her. She's an important asset to the organization."

"You bitch!" Yuki exclaimed, unleashing a wave of dark aura. He managed to break free from Aya's power and crumbled to the floor. "I wasn't hurting her at all. I was trying to make her mine."

"You can make her yours after we take her away from this academy," Aya said, trying her best to control the urge to send Yuki back to the world of the dead. Personally, as a girl, she herself couldn't bear seeing another girl getting molested by a guy. What Yuki was doing to Mikan was completely wrong, and it irritated Aya more since Yuki was using Natsume's body. "I know you've hurt her before. You've even tried to rape her. But in order to finish this mission, I have to pretend that those things didn't happen or else I might kill you right here." She covered up Mikan's exposed chest with the kimono and positioned the brunette's head on her lap.

"Aya-san, you're no fun at all," Yuki grumbled, ruffling Natsume's raven hair.

With the use of her Alice, Aya gripped Yuki's neck and lifted him up in the air. "Shirasaki-kun, you do remember who summoned you back from the spirit world?" she muttered in a lethal voice, and Yuki nodded his head in dismay. "You owe me big time, Shirasaki-kun, so I don't want to hear any nonsense from you. I hope you understood that."

He hated to admit it but his Alice of Darkness was useless against her. The girl was much more powerful than him. And because he was only a spirit, his Alice had certain limitations. His Darkness Alice used to be so powerful when he was still alive. However, it was also the reason why his body suffered in the past. "I got it, Aya-san…" he said. "Just put me down…"

Aya released her grip on him, and Yuki landed on the floor as he gasped for air. "I've already contacted Ani-sama and the organization. I bet they're on their way to get us." She smiled at the thought of her favorite Ani-sama, who happened to be Mouri Reo. "By the way, are you really going to bring Hyuuga Natsume's body with you?"

"You've got to be kidding me," Yuki said, folding his arms. "I'll kill this guy before we leave. I'm sure you have something to transport a spirit such as myself."

Chuckling, she flipped her silver hair and smirked at Yuki. "But of course…" she said. "Did you think I would leave you here? Even though you're not really alive, I still consider you as an accomplice."

"Why, thank you for saying that," Yuki said sarcastically. "Anyway… Aren't we supposed to escape from this place now? People might come here and try to save her, you know."

"Hmph… Who do you think you're talking to, Shirasaki-kun?" Aya said, stroking Mikan's silky hair gently. "No one will come and save her. I've set traps all over the place before I came here. As of now, I'm sure they're walking around in a deadly maze." She let out a sinister laugh. Her Alice made all the traps possible. She possessed one of the strongest Alices ever.

_To be continued…  
_

* * *

JC: Natsume got possessed, Mikan was infected by the Darkness Alice, Narumi got hurt, and many people were killed by Aya. A lot of terrible things happened here. With Aya's Alice, it's almost impossible for Yuka and Youichi to reach Mikan in time. Yuki still doesn't know that Mikan is Yuka's daughter. He thinks that Mikan is Yuka. Who will save Mikan and Natsume? I'll reveal more information about Yuki in the next chapter—the time before he committed suicide. There's also the case with Ruka. I'm saving more ideas for the future chapters. Please review. No flaming.


	26. Sad Miracle

JC: In the previous chapter, Yuki used his Darkness Alice on Mikan to manipulate her emotions, while he was in Natsume's body. He possessed Natsume's body in order to leave the middle school dorm. The Hana Hime mansion got attacked by Sugita Aya, a powerful Alice of the Anti-Alice Organization. She had killed so many people and beaten Narumi-sensei. Youichi and Yuka are on their way to save Mikan, but Aya stated that she set traps. Will the two of them be able to make it in time before the AAO comes?

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. Shirasaki Yuki is from the manga, Absolute Boyfriend by Yuu Watarase. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 26: Sad Miracle

"How much longer are we going to wait, Aya-san?" Yuki asked, watching the silver-haired girl with a piercing gaze that seemed to cut through a thick fog. Could she not see how disgusting it was to stay in Natsume's body? He can't stand it any longer. In addition to that, he wanted to hold the love of his life in his arms again. But Aya wouldn't even let him touch her. She warned him not to violate her again or else he would be sent back to the spirit world.

Brushing her hand through Mikan's hair, Aya gave the guy a serious and intense glare. "Patience, Shirasaki-kun," she said. She, too, was anxious to get out of the academy and go back to her organization. "You know it's difficult to get into this academy. Barriers and traps are set all over the place for intruders, especially for the Anti-Alice Organization. Ani-sama and the others can't act recklessly."

Yuki walked over to the window and looked up at the sky. "Hmm…Aya-san, you seemed to like this Ani-sama a lot," he said, placing his hand on the window pane. "May I know who this Ani-sama is?" Quite frankly, after he was summoned from the world of dead, the only Anti-Alice member he met was Aya.

"Aside from this girl," Aya said, caressing Mikan's cheeks before looking up at Yuki, "Ani-sama is the most wonderful person I've ever met. His full name is Mouri Reo. He was once a Special Star student here like you and now he's a famous singer across the country." She spoke like a little girl when it came to Reo.

"He was once a student, and then he became a member of the Anti-Alice? What's his reason for joining the organization?"

Aya's cheerful expression turned grave and serious. "The academy only used him for their own benefit like sending him to dangerous missions. He wasn't treated as a student here. He was treated like an assassin and a spy. He never led a peaceful life here. That's why he hates this academy so much."

"Well, it sounds like he hates this academy as much as I do," Yuki said, turning around to look at Aya. "The teachers forcefully took me away from my family and treated me like a caged bird. Aside from that, she once told me she was treated like an outcast because of her Stealing-Alice. The administration of this school had plans on using her Alice. And when her sensei was killed, she decided to run away from this place and leave me behind. It's the academy's entire fault."

_Azumi Yuka had a harsh life here as well. Hmph…But she returned to this academy just because her daughter is here. She was one of the organization's best agents. _Aya smirked sinisterly as she played with Mikan's hair. _By taking her daughter to the organization, Azumi Yuka would surely join us again. _She has nothing against Yuka and has no plans of killing her. She considered Yuka valuable to the AAO. Besides, her favorite Mikan could probably use the company of her mother. Thinking of Yuka, Aya knew Yuki still thought of Mikan as the girl he loved. She had no plans on telling him, since she would like Yuki to find it out for himself—even if it was going to be painful for him or not. She couldn't care less about the feelings of Yuki. Besides, even though Yuki was useful to her as a comrade, she didn't consider him as a human but simply as a dead person.

All of a sudden, she felt a nudging feeling inside. It was her other personality again. It was coming out. Carefully, she placed Mikan's head on the floor and stood up. Yuki asked her if she was going anywhere, and she threw him a sharp glare in return. Clutching onto her chest, she walked over to the door and slid it open. "I can sense people coming," she lied. She can't possibly tell Yuki about her other personality. She didn't want to show any weakness in front of anybody. "I'll go and torture them a little bit. You wait here for Ani-sama. Oh, by the way, don't you dare touch that girl, understand?"

Yuki shrugged and folded his arms in front of his chest. "If I do that, you'll definitely kill me," he said.

She had no guarantee Mikan would be safe from him. However, she could not stay in the room and let her other self out for Yuki to see. "I'll be going now," she muttered, and then closed the door behind her.

Yuki sat down beside the brunette as his lips curved into a wicked smile. "We'll never be apart again," he said, stroking her face gently back and forth. "You'll never leave my side again. We'll always be together." He leaned down to give her a quick kiss on the lips. Aya was not there to stop him, so it was his big chance to take advantage of the brunette. His lips were just centimeters away from hers when a powerful force blew him away. Shocked and confused, he slowly got up and looked back at the girl, who was glowing in a bright blue color.

Mikan sat up, her eyes hidden under her bangs. "Please leave Natsume's body now," she muttered monotonously, as the light disappeared.

"How is this possible?! I used my Alice against you. You shouldn't be able to feel anything for this bastard anymore. My Alice was supposed to erase all your emotions for him."

"It's true some of your Alice got inside of me and it took me a great deal of concentration to nullify the effects," she explained as she stood up. "I let you think you had control of me, but in reality I had control over the situation from the start. And when your friend took hold of me, I secretly stole a part of her Telekinesis Alice, while using Nullification so she won't sense a thing. It was hard, considering I had to act unconscious."

Yuki let out a chuckle and smirked at her. "Amazing…" he muttered. "As expected of you, Azumi-san, you never ceased to amaze me. Not only did you steal Aya-san's Alice, but you also used it as well. Furthermore, the combination of the Nullification Alice and the Stealing-Alice is superb. No wonder the organization wants you badly." He tried to approach the brunette, but she pinned him against the wall with Telekinesis.

"I don't want to hurt you, Shirasaki-kun, so please try not to put up a fight," Mikan said, revealing her tearful amber eyes at Yuki. "I tried telling you this so many times, but you wouldn't believe me. Shirasaki-kun, I really am not the girl you love. I'm not Azumi Yuka. I'm her daughter, Sakura Mikan."

"What kind of lie are you saying, Azumi-san?" Yuki said, narrowing his gaze at her. "You're definitely Azumi Yuka-san. I recognize that face anywhere."

Mikan shook her head vigorously and clenched her hands. "I'm Mikan!" she shouted. "You just think I'm Okaa-san because we look alike."

"No way…" Yuki muttered, gritting his teeth. "But Aya-san told me that you're Azumi-san."

"Then she was deceiving you."

"Deceiving me…? That's impossible. Aya-san brought me back to this world to help me get you. Azumi-san, stop saying nonsense and let's live a life together. Sensei is already dead and I will kill this undeserving Natsume-guy. There are no more hindrances for us. You'll be able to love me freely."

Mikan sighed deeply and approached him. "Shirasaki-kun, you really don't understand how love works," she said, touching his cheek gently. "Love isn't something to be taken forcefully nor is it an obsession. It's a wonderful feeling shared by people. Azumi Yuka, my mother, let you experienced love through friendship. She pulled you out of darkness because she cared a lot about you. But by doing these wrong things now, you're letting her efforts go to waste." She was talking in a very sincere manner and her expression showed nothing but a kind smile.

"Obsession…Darkness…" Yuki muttered, lowering his head, as he closed his eyes. "I…I feel so foolish… The way you're talking right now means you're not Azumi-san."

"I know you love my mother so much, but you have to understand her feelings, Shirasaki-kun." Mikan held his face between her hands, making him look back at her. "Okaa-san will always consider you as an important friend. You may be dead, but you're still alive in her heart."

"You…You can say these things so easily to me…" Yuki said with falter. "I've done so many bad things to you, thinking that you're Azumi-san, and yet you talk to me as if I'm not you're enemy. Your attitude…is just like Azumi-san."

Mikan released her hold on him and hugged him quickly to support him. "That's because I'm her daughter," she said cheerfully. "It's not a surprise if we're alike in so many ways. Some people say that I'm the second Azumi Yuka." She giggled so sweetly.

"I-I feel so lost here," Yuki whispered, and then his eyes grew wide when he saw a certain person standing at the doorway. "A-Aya-san…" He pulled himself away from Mikan and went in front of her.

"What's this?" Aya said, placing a fisted hand on her waist. "She finally regained consciousness. Did the Alice of Darkness take over her mind and body? But why don't I sense any dark aura from her, Shirasaki-kun? And why were you taking advantage of her again? I warned you before—"

"Aya-san…" Yuki interrupted. "This girl is not Azumi Yuka-san and you knew it all along, didn't you?" He extended one arm sideward to shield Mikan from Aya as he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Oh, my…So you found out…I bet Mikan-chan told you, huh?" Aya said with a sinister laugh. "Well, I'm surprised you didn't figure it out from the start. For a genius, you sure are slow." As soon as she took a step forward, a row of fire appeared before her.

"That's Natsume's fire," Mikan pointed out.

Since Yuki was inside Natsume's body, he can use the Fire Alice at his own will. He was an adept Alice-user, despite being confined in a hospital all his life in the past, and the Fire Alice proved to be an easy Alice to control for him. Truth to be known, it was his first time to use the Fire Alice. "Aya-san, why did you lie to me about Azumi-san and Mikan-san?" He clenched his fists tight as the fire grew brighter. "Because of your lies, I almost did the unthinkable to Mikan-san."

Aya heaved a frustrated sigh. "I guess I went overboard with my Alice. I simply manipulated your Alice of Darkness, so you'll blindly go after her. I never expected you to almost rape her." She struck her hair before she crossed her arms over her chest. "And besides, if I had told you the truth, you wouldn't have been able to help me."

Yuki froze on the spot, surprised at what he just heard. So at the time he forced himself on Mikan was solely because the Darkness inside of him took over. He was aware of his doings and he knew he was acting upon his emotions. But now that he thought about it, it seemed illogical for him to do those things. He loved Yuka so much, but to go so far to almost rape her was unlikely of him. His Alice of Darkness has the ability to unleash a person's true desire and drown someone in despair.

"When I summoned you, you were nothing but a lifeless soul," Aya said, using the barrier Alice to diminish the row of fire. "I merely manipulated your Alice of Darkness and increased your passion for Azumi Yuka. By looking at you now, I can say you've shed some light on yourself. After every encounter with Mikan-chan, the darkness inside of you slowly fades away, and it's all because of the Nullification Alice. And this time, you've finally reverted back to your pathetic self and realized the error of your ways."

"Then all of those things I've done were caused by you," Yuki said, poison present in his voice, as he gritted his teeth. "I won't let you get away with this."

"Hey, don't blame it all on me, Shirasaki-kun," Aya said, trying to sound so carefree, as she pointed a finger at him. "You're to blame as well."

It was frustrating to admit it, but Aya was right. He was to blame for his actions as well. The Alice of Darkness was his own power and he let Aya took control of it so easily. Still, he was torn between helping Aya to achieve her schemes from protecting Mikan, who was the daughter of his one true love. It was a fact he hated the academy to the core, but he didn't want to take Mikan against her will.

"Shirasaki-kun, it's useless to fight me, okay?" Using telekinesis, he lifted Yuki in the air and dropped him hard on the floor. "Besides, by working for me I could give you a real body, so you'll be together with Azumi Yuka. I'm sure she's around this mansion somewhere, facing my traps."

"Okaa-san?!" Mikan exclaimed, taking a few steps forward. "Please don't hurt Okaa-san."

Aya nodded her head. "Of course, I won't…" she said, twirling a lock of her hair. "If I did that, you would be sad, right? And I don't want to see a sad Mikan-chan."

Mikan suddenly felt she was well-acquainted with the person. The AAO member seemed to speak like she was fond of her. She remembered her friend Sugita Aya, who coincidentally has the same name. But Mikan quickly shook off the idea of her friend and the AAO member being the same person. There was no way in the world that the shy Sugita Aya was the arrogant and merciless Aya of the AAO, Mikan thought.

"Before I forget…" Aya extended her hand and opened her palm. "Would you mind giving me back the Alice you stole from me? I know you didn't steal much, but I still want it back. It kind of surprised me that I wasn't able to sense your Stealing-Alice before. You're really amazing, Mikan-chan."

"I-I won't give it back!" Mikan uttered, using Telekinesis at the same time. The amount of power she unleashed was enough to send Aya flying. However, Aya regained composure in midair and landed gracefully on the ground. Mikan got a little pissed at her, when Aya's lip curved into a cocky smile.

"I don't want to fight Mikan-chan, but you leave me with no choice," Aya said, forming a yellow energy sphere in her palm. "Take this!" She threw the sphere up, and when it touched the ceiling, it burst into tiny yellow particles.

Mikan had no idea what those yellow dusts could do, but she was certain it won't have any effect on her. "I have Nullification. Something like this won't stop me." But then she remembered Yuki in Natsume's body. She quickly turned around and gasped at the sight of Yuki struggling to move. "Shirasaki-kun, what's the matter?"

Yuki tried to move his lips, but he could feel his whole body getting stiff. He figured that the yellow dusts were stun spores, dusts which are capable to paralyzing a person or an animal. Due to the paralysis effect, he was losing his grip on Natsume's body. _Dammit, I have to do something… _Closing his eyes, he concentrated in using his Alice of Darkness. He constructed a dark barrier around him. As a result he was able to move again. "Aya-san, you have to stop this now," he said, standing up.

"SHUT UP, SCUM!" Aya blurted out, unleashing a wave of energy towards Yuki.

His very soul was pushed out of Natsume's body, much to his surprise. He knew Aya was strong, but he didn't expect to be blown away so easily. With his soul out, he could no longer stay and protect Mikan from Aya. "I'm sorry, Mikan-san…" he said, and then he disappeared.

"Shirasaki-kun!" Mikan shouted, as Natsume's body fell towards the floor. Acting on reflexes, Mikan caught her boyfriend in her arms and crumbled to the floor on her knees. "Natsume! Natsume!" She shook him, trying to wake him up, but to no avail.

Aya laughed maniacally and loudly to the point she had to hug her stomach. "I guess Shirasaki-kun won't be coming back again!" she exclaimed happily in a mocking voice. "That's what he gets for going against me. I thought he was a reliable comrade, but he was just garbage like everyone else in this academy."

The brunette looked at Aya with a surprised yet concerned expression. "What did you say? Shirasaki-kun is not coming back?"

"I've sent him back to the spirit world. I have no use for him any more—now that you're here."

"How could you do such a thing? After putting Shirasaki-kun through all the trouble, you sent him away just like that? He didn't even get to meet Okaa-san again! How could you be so cruel?"

The silver-haired girl tapped her cheek with her finger, smiling sadistically at Mikan. "Oh, please don't hate me, Mikan-chan. I was just doing what I think is best." She laughed once again and then pointed a finger at Natsume. "And I'm targeting that fire bastard next."

Mikan held Natsume in her arms securely. "Don't you dare hurt, Natsume!" she uttered bravely. She would never let Aya lay one finger on Natsume—even if it means sacrificing herself. "I'm the only one you want, right? So, don't involve him!"

"My gosh, you really love that idiotic Black Cat," Aya said, shaking her head, as she slumped her shoulders. "It gives me more reason to kill him. This is going to be—"

"Why don't you shut the hell up, bitch?" an unruly voice suddenly interrupted Aya, startling both girls at the same time.

Mikan turned her head to look at Natsume and almost cried in joy when she saw his crimson red eyes. "Natsume, you're awake!" She gave him a nice firm hug, which almost took Natsume's breath away. "I'm so glad! I was really worried about you when Shirasaki-kun possessed you." She released him and faced him with a heart-warming smile.

Natsume shrugged and pinched her cheek hard. "This is not the time to smile, polka-dots," he said nonchalantly. "We're still in a pinch here." He rose up and threw an extreme death glare at Aya.

"You're going to act like the knight in shining armor for her, aren't you?" Aya said, smirking widely. "How sweet and annoying… You can act like a knight, but you're nothing but a filthy dog of this academy, Hyuuga Natsume. Whoever appointed you to be Mikan-chan's bodyguard must be an idiot."

Lighting up a fire in his palm, Natsume created a fire wall around Aya. "You talk to much, you arrogant witch," he muttered in a dangerous tone. "I'll make you taste hell right here and right now."

The AAO member neither showed fear or concern, despite her situation. As usual, she wore a very confident smirk on her face and her eyes had the feeling of blood lust all over them. A fight was about to be issued between her and Natsume. Quite frankly, she was excited to fight and to kill him.

* * *

It seemed like there was no end to the hallway. Every corner they turned, it was always the same, and every time they entered a room, they wound up back at the start. The place was getting confusing, no doubt. It was like they were trap in some kind of maze. Yuka and Youichi were frustrated as hell, but they were not going to let some maze get the best of them. After climbing up another set of stairs, they've went back to the second floor of the mansion. Youichi was having trouble using his Alice, because there was a strong barrier around the vicinity. Knowing that the middle school principal was unconscious, Yuka figured that the barrier was done by the Anti-Alice member Narumi was talking about.

The two of them continued their search until they've found a door lying flat on the floor. Suspicious as it was, Yuka opened the door and saw a stairway leading to who knows where. "I got a bad feeling about this…" Yuka muttered, taking a step down before looking back at Youichi. "But it's worth a try."

"It's obvious that it's a trap," Youichi said nonchalantly, scratching the back of his head. "But it's better to check it out than walking around in circles. If possible, I would've destroyed this whole place by now."

Yuka and Youichi ventured down the stairs and found a large steel door at the end. The door was all chained up and there was a sign saying "DO NOT ENTER" on it. Despite the sign, Yuka was willing to check what was on the other side of the door. The moment she touched the door, it immediately glowed in a bright white color, which blinded her and Youichi for a second, and disappeared. As Yuka opened her eyes, she saw a field full of beautiful flowers inside. "What is this place?"

The young lad walked right in first and scanned the area. "A field in the mansion? Definitely weird…" He stuffed one hand into his pocket and turned to Yuka. "Okaa-san, whoever doing this is using the Illusion Alice."

"I think it's more than just an Illusion Alice," Yuka said.

Just then, the whole field of flowers withered and turned into ashes. The sky above darkened and the ground began to shake. Horror came afterwards as undead zombies emerged from the ground. The zombies were ugly and rotten corpses. They seemed to be in the mood for fresh meat, much to Yuka and Youichi's dismay, as they slowly walked towards them while moaning a strange sound.

"This is not good," Yuka muttered. "We better go back!" When she turned around, the door, which was supposed to be right behind them, disappeared into thin air. What bad luck! Zombies were out to get them and they couldn't even use their Alices properly because of the barrier. Well, her Stealing-Alice will not have an effect on the zombies, but Youichi's would. If only there was a way to neutralize the barrier, she thought.

The zombies were closing in, and Youichi transformed into his 17-year old self. His usually calm and emotionless façade was replaced with a serious one. "What are we going to do, Okaa-san?" he asked.

"I don't know," Yuka replied, trying her best to stay calm. "At this rate, we're as good as death. We need a miracle to get out of this mess."

"We can't wait for the miracle to happen, so we'll just have to make one," Youichi muttered, kicking away one zombie. He back flipped immediately when two zombies tried to grab him. "I can hold them hold for a while. Okaa-san, you better find a way out of here." He jumped on one of the zombies, pummeling him to the ground and went on attacking three more. He was an excellent fighter for a 7-year old in a 17-year old body. The Dangerous Ability Class had thought him well.

Yuka searched around for any kind of door or a portal that can lead them out of the wretched place. Zombies attacked her when she turned her back at them, but she quickly moved away and swiftly kicked one on the face. "Don't surprise me like that," she muttered, heaving a deep sigh. She then saw a black lake from afar. "I don't know what's over there, but there's no harm in checking it out." Running past five zombies, she grabbed Youichi by the arm and hauled him away.

"Okaa-san, where are we going?" he asked.

Pointing at the lake, Yuka replied, "Over there!" She released Youichi's arm as soon as they were farther away from the zombies. "Let's just hope we'll find something there or else we'll end up as food for those corpses." Getting eaten was the last thing she would do. She still had Mikan to save.

They've arrived at the lake in no less than a minute. Though exhausted from fighting and running, Yuka gathered up her strength and touched the surface of the water with her hand. The lake was pure black, yet her reflection can be seen on it. "What is with this lake?" she asked, dipping her hand deeper into the water.

_"Natsume!!" _ Yuka's eyes grew wide in an instant. There was no doubt she heard her daughter's voice calling out Natsume's name. _"Natsume, I've nullified her barrier around you! You can use your Fire Alice freely now." _ Yuka figured Mikan and Natsume were probably fighting against the silver-haired Anti-Alice member. She also learned something very useful. Perfect timing since the zombies were approaching them again.

"Those ugly things are here, Okaa-san," Youichi said, positioning himself to fight.

Yuka spun on her heels and placed a hand on Youichi's shoulder. "Use your Alice, Youichi-kun," she said confidently, and Youichi raised a brow in return. "Trust me, Youichi-kun…Use your Alice to defeat all of them."

"If you say so, Okaa-san," he replied, shifting his cold gaze at the zombies. He relaxed his shoulders and breathed out calmly. He focused his energy in summoning the ghost and closed his eyes to deepen his concentration. He could feel his Alice working as he felt the presence of ghosts around him. Opening his eyes, he saw thousands of ghosts floating around in all shapes and sizes. With the ghosts, he was sure to bag a win over the zombies. "Time for you to get lost." As soon as he swung his arm with flair, the ghost started to attack the zombies, unleashing their wrath and ghostly powers on them.

Patting Youichi's shoulder, Yuka commented him for a job well done and gave him quick peck on the cheek. Of course, the young lad slightly blushed, causing him to revert back to his 7-year old form. Yuka simply giggled at his reaction. "Thanks to you, we're safe for now," she said before turning serious, "but we still don't know how to get out of here."

"By the way, Okaa-san, how did you know I was able to use my Alice?" Youichi asked after regaining his composure. "Last time I checked, there was a barrier blocking our Alices."

"Let's just say I heard Mikan's voice saying something about the barrier," Yuka explained, looking back at the lake. "Speaking of Mikan, she and Natsume are in danger. They're currently fighting with the AAO member."

Suddenly, Youichi saw a spirit of a 14-year old boy heading towards him. At first, the ghost looked suspicious, but the spirit manipulator could not sense any malice in him. Taking a good look at the ghost, he noticed he has short brown hair and deep-green eyes and he was covered in blood. The ghost's appearance definitely matched the descriptions of the Phantom Lover, as what he had heard from Yuka and Sakurano. "You're the stupid ghost that's been bothering Onee-chan?" he said coldly, giving off a frightful aura.

"The ghost?" Yuka turned her head towards the direction Youichi was looking at. When she saw the ghost, she couldn't help but clamp her mouth in surprise. "Zetsubou-kun…" she muttered as her hands began to tremble. She couldn't believe she was seeing Shirasaki Yuki's spirit at that very moment.

"You called me Zetsubou-kun…" Yuki said, a smile gracing his lips. "You're definitely Azumi-san." His eyes filled up with tears in a second.

"I guess my Alice accidentally summoned him here as well," Youichi said, inserting both hands inside his pockets. "If he's here, then Onii-chan is no longer possessed."

Yuka had reached for his face and embraced him as if he was really alive. "I'm so glad to see you again, Zetsubou-kun. I want to apologize for leaving you behind, for not returning your feelings before. I'm so sorry." She pulled back to face him again and smiled.

Yuki shook his head and looked away. "I should be the one saying sorry, Azumi-san," he said in a shaky voice. "I've done horrible things to your daughter. I didn't even know it was your daughter. I thought it was you. And I should apologize for having such ill intentions on you." He bowed his head at her, feeling so much regret.

"Zetsubou-kun…" Yuka was more than willing to forgive him. She could use some time to talk to him, but her daughter was still in danger. "Hey, please tell me where Mikan is right now."

"I can take you to her, Azumi-san," Yuki said, looking determined. "I have to make up for all the wrongs things I've done. And I'll start by helping you. So, I hope you won't mind if I inhabit your body."

His last sentence surprised Yuka a little. After harassing her daughter to so much, Yuka found it hard to trust her body to him. Still, she knew it wasn't the time for hesitation. She could use the power of Yuki. "All right… Go ahead and use my body," she said. "But if you do anything funny, I'll have Youichi-kun here send you to the spirit world right away." She only said that to tease him.

"I'm not really a perverted guy," Yuki said in an assured voice. "I only did those things to Mikan-san because the darkness took over my emotions. You don't have to worry about me taking advantage on you, Azumi-san. Besides, I don't want you to hate me."

"The darkness took over you?"

Yuki became silent for a while, recalling back what Aya told him. A low and dirty trick, Aya manipulated his Alice of Darkness in order to get Mikan. "I'll explain it all to you on the way up," he said, leaning his face closer to Yuka's. "Right now, I have to get inside you. Please prepare yourself, Azumi-san."

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: Phew…Writing the fight scenes was tiresome for me. It was kind hard to put your imagination into words. The zombie thing was something I picked up from watching too much horror movies. I enjoyed writing about Youichi here. He's so cool and cute. Of course, writing about Mikan was the best for me. Using the Nullification and Stealing-Alice combo was great. A lot of things happened here. Yuki has finally realized that Mikan is not Yuka, and he went against Aya. And it was revealed here that Aya is the one who summoned Yuki. Natsume regained his body back. The next chapter will be the second to the last of the Phantom Lover arc, and then it will be a whole new season. Please review. No flaming.


	27. Falling into the Darkness

JC: The last chapter was pretty intense. Both Mikan and Natsume are now facing Aya. You do wonder why Aya is fond of Mikan so much, right? Well, I'll explain it later in future chapters. As promised, this is the second to the last of the Phantom Lover arc. After this, we can proceed to a whole new season, and Hotaru will be coming back. Let's get this story started. Please read and review in the end.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. Shirasaki Yuki is from the manga, Absolute Boyfriend by Yuu Watarase. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 27: Falling into the Darkness

Try as he might, Hyuuga Natsume could not lay one finger on Aya. Physical attacks could not reach her and fire attacks were useless. Even though Mikan can nullify Aya's Alices for a while, Aya was backed up with her tremendous martial arts and acrobatic skills, giving her the edge in the fight. He hated to admit it, but he was having a rough time and his stamina was getting lower. If it goes on, then he would surely collapse from exhaustion. Having the fourth-shaped Alice was such a pain as well.

"Hey, stupid Black Cat, what's the matter?" Aya questioned with a sinister smirk on her face. "Are you getting tired? What a pathetic idiot you are…" She charged forward and kicked him, sending him flying to the wall. With all the training she received from the organization, taking down guys like Natsume was easy for her.

Natsume slowly got back to his feet and shot Aya a glare. One more time, he used his Fire Alice and threw multiple fire balls at the girl. However, Aya was quick on her feet and she evaded all fire balls. Cursing under his breath, he ran towards Aya and attempted to punch her. But Aya dodged it and gave him an uppercut.

"Natsume!" Mikan uttered in horror. She wished she could help him in fighting, but she had to stay put and concentrate hard on her Alice. Her job was to keep nullifying Aya's Alice no matter what. Still, she was seriously worried about Natsume, knowing how his Alice affects his body. She had to think of something before Aya will decide to kill Natsume. Just then, Natsume went flying past her and hit his head hard on the wall. Mikan immediately motioned over to his side and held him in her arms, while keeping up the Nullification Alice. "This is too much. Natsume, you can't fight anymore in this condition."

"Shut up," he muttered under his breath. He was panting real hard. "If I don't defeat this bitch, then you'll be taken away to that organization. I have to keep fighting to protect you."

"But…What if you get killed…?" Mikan said, tears sprouting from her amber eyes. "Aya will not hesitate to kill you, you know."

Natsume caressed her cheek and wiped away some tears with his thumb. "Who do you think you're talking to?" he said with a shrug, his head feeling like a ton. "I'm not planning on getting myself killed here. I still have a lot of things I want to do with you. And why are you talking so pessimistically?"

Aya couldn't stand seeing Mikan so close to the jerk. "Get away from Mikan-chan!" she exclaimed, running towards the couple. Before she could even come close, Mikan blew her away with Telekinesis. She was surprised at the amount of power Mikan released, even though it was her own Alice to begin with. She was blown away to the other room, and when she landed roughly on the floor, her body felt like hell with the pain. _I was right… Mikan-chan is the only person capable of defeating me. _

Mikan almost blackened out with the last attack. Using two Alices at the same time really took out most of her energy. It was amazing she was still able to continue using Nullification. She looked back at Natsume and said, "I'm sorry if I was talking so pessimistically…I was just worried about you." Her lips slowly curved into a smile as she hugged him tight. "Natsume, I just thought of something, and I want you help me on this."

"You're finally using your thick head, huh?" he said arrogantly, and Mikan lightly slapped his back. He winced in pain because of that. "Want me to burn you, polka-dots?" he asked, pulling away to face her with a cold expression.

"I'll just pretend I didn't here that, pervert," she said with a pout. "Anyway, listen up. This might be the only way to defeat Aya."

Aya finally recovered from the attack and went back to the room where Natsume and Mikan were. "Mikan-chan, I'm really impressed," she said, clapping her hands cheerfully. "You can use Telekinesis as if it was your Alice. You'll be a great agent for the Anti-Alice Organization. Come on, just ditch this academy and go with me to the organization."

"She's not going anywhere with you," Natsume said as he stood up. "As long as I'm here, I won't let her be taken away." In order for Mikan's plan to work, he has to be precise with his actions. There was no room for mistakes. He had to make it quick and watch out for Aya's movements.

"I wasn't talking to you, bastard," Aya said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Gosh, you're so annoying! Why don't I just kill you off?"

Natsume smirked at her. "I'd like to see you try, you little wrench," he said, gesturing his hand in a come-attack-me manner.

Aya gritted her teeth and stomped her foot on the floor. "You're really pissing me off, Hyuuga Natsume!!" She charged forward and jumped up to attack Natsume with a high-jump kick. "Take this!" All of a sudden, Mikan went in front of Natsume in order to protect him. Surprised, Aya quickly retrieved her leg and landed in front of Mikan. No matter what the reason, she can't afford to hurt Mikan.

"Let's stop this, okay?" Mikan said, giving Aya a wonderful and kind smile, which made Aya blush a little.

At that moment, Natsume came up from behind Aya and secured his arms around her. "Yuck! Let me go, you bastard!" Aya uttered, struggling with Natsume's grip. She may be a powerful fighter, but Natsume's upper-body strength as a guy was far stronger than hers. "I said let me go! I'll definitely kill you if you won't!" She couldn't believe she let herself get caught.

Mikan bowed her head and said, "Sorry for all this," much to Aya's surprise. The brunette then held Aya's hand and clasped it firmly. "I'm really sorry." With that, she concentrated harder, boosting up the power of her Nullification, and at the same she used her Stealing-Alice. Basically, her life was at risk because of this feat. Her energy was mostly used up already, so she was betting everything on it.

"No, please don't!" Aya shouted, putting up a fight more. "Don't steal my Alices! Stop it!"

_"Let go of her and stop!" _a powerful voice boomed, making Natsume drop to the floor.

"Natsume!" Mikan immediately went to her boyfriend's side. "Natsume, are you all right?" It appeared that Natsume had taken some great deal of damage. And the voice—Mikan recognized it. She turned her head at the door and gasped in surprise as she saw a familiar singer with auburn hair.

Mouri Reo stepped inside, accompanied by his most trusted subordinate, Shidou, who had the Alice of Barrier, and another minion who had the power of to create warp holes. He helped Aya stand up and held her shoulders firmly, as he set his eyes on her scarlet ones. "Are you all right, Aya?" he asked in a caring voice, and Aya simply nodded her head with a smile. "That's good. You don't have to work so hard anymore. Now that I'm here, there's no need for you to dirty your hands further."

To her delight, Aya embraced Reo dearly. "Ani-sama, I'm happy you're here," she said cheerfully. And she was grateful to him for saving her from Natsume. She then spun around and offered her hand towards Mikan. "Ani-sama is finally here, Mikan-chan. Let's leave this academy now."

Mikan shook her head violently. "I will not leave this academy!" she exclaimed.

"Stubborn as usual, huh?" Reo said, brushing his fingers through his hair, as he sighed. "Well, I guess we have to take you by force." He snapped his fingers as a signal for Shidou to apprehend her. But the said guy couldn't even move one step because a wall of fire suddenly appeared before him.

"I'll burn you guys," Natsume growled, slowly getting up, as he narrowed his crimson eyes at the Anti-Alice members. "If you don't leave now, I'll turn you all into ashes."

"Natsume…" Mikan muttered, thinking how he managed to keep going despite the damage he had taken. She was deeply concerned about his fourth-shaped Alice. Then she decided she had to make a move. She stood up and placed a hand on Natsume's shoulder. "Natsume, enough…You can't fight anymore."

He clenched his fists and spread his fire around the AAO members. "As long as I'm still standing, I'll continue to fight," he said, panting hard. He winced at the pain in his chest and clutched onto it firmly. "I promised to protect you and I'll continue to keep that promise. So, don't be a bother and just stay back."

Mikan heaved a heavy sigh. She was tired as well, but she has enough strength to keep going unlike Natsume. "I understand what you're saying, but you have to think about yourself as well. You can't do this anymore, Natsume. If you collapse here now, who will be left to protect me?" She spoke so calmly and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. After that, she used her Nullification Alice to stop Natsume's fire and walked a few steps away from him. "Let me take care of things now."

"Tch…You're really a reckless idiot," he said, turning his head away. "And one stubborn one to boot."

The brunette giggled a little and peered over her shoulders to give him an angelic smile. "Well, you can be a stubborn and reckless idiot too, Natsume," she said before facing the AAO members again. "I guess we're kinda alike in some ways."

Reo placed a fisted hand on his waist. "You two are talking as if you're not in danger," he said, his face darkening. "No matter…You'll still be coming with us, Nullifier." Pulling out a gun, he aimed it at Mikan and smirked confidently.

"You're going to use a gun on me again," Mikan said, swallowing hard. "I know you guys won't kill me. You need me, right?"

"We'll never kill you, Mikan-chan!" Aya said, hugging Reo's arm like a stuffed bear. "However, the bullet in this gun is capable of sealing your Alice for about a minute. With your Alice sealed, Ani-sama and I can use our Alices on you freely."

Mikan couldn't help feeling scared, but she managed to put up a brave face. "That is if you have the chance to shoot the gun," she said, making the AAO members wonder what she was talking about. A smile gracing her lips, she used Telekinesis to disarm Reo, but Shidou instantly put up a barrier around them to block her power. "The Barrier is quite a problem." In a blink of an eye, she destroyed the barrier with her Nullification Alice.

"Wow, Mikan-chan is so strong," Aya said in awe.

"Now is not the time to admire her, Aya!" Reo scolded, and pulled the trigger of his gun. However, much to his dismay, the bullet didn't reach Mikan. The bullet got deflected by a force field around Mikan. "What's going on?"

Aya clamped her mouth in disbelief. "That force field is one of my special barriers," she said. She then recalled Mikan using the Stealing-Alice on her and realized that her Alice got stolen after all. "It's one of my Alices, Ani-sama… Mi-Mikan-chan has one of my A-Alices…"

"I'm sorry to say this, but I actually have two now…" Mikan said in a sympathetic tone, and Aya stared at her in confusion. "I took the liberty of stealing your Telekinesis Alice completely. I think you have two more Alices, but I wasn't able to steal them because I was interrupted."

"I-I…I didn't realize that…" Aya said, obviously dumbfounded.

"Since that's the case, we can't do anything about it," Reo said, looking pissed off, as he grabbed Aya's arm. "The whole plan is messed up. We can't take the Nullifier now. It's best if we retreat."

"Eh? But Ani-sama—"

Reo dug his fingers deeply into her skin. "The gun won't work, and my Alice will not have an effect on her either," he explained. "So, let's go, Aya."

Aya did not want to go without Mikan. After all the effort, after all she had done just to get Mikan, she was leaving empty-handed. She felt like a total loser—a failure. However, she still had something under her sleeve. She didn't expect her plan to be messed up, but she has a backup plan just in case. A certain blonde boy was under her control and she could use him. "I swear I'll come back for you, Mikan-chan," she said, spinning around on her heels. "Just you wait."

Mikan had the power to stop the AAO members from escaping. Unfortunately, she was running low on energy. Her vision was also blurring. Nevertheless, she kept up a good front and stayed strong. On the other hand, Natsume was also at his limit. He was already on his knees with his head low. He was almost closed to fainting.

The other minion activated his Alice and opened up a big enough warp-hole for the members. Aya went in first without a fuss, followed by Shidou. Reo felt bitter about their failure. He actually went to academy for nothing. It was a complete waste of time in his part, but he didn't blame Aya for it. He knew how dedicated Aya was to the mission. After he and the minion entered the warp-hole, it vanished into thin air.

"They're gone…We're safe now, Natsume…" Finally, Mikan lost her consciousness and dropped to the floor with a loud thud. She was completely drained. She had been using her Nullification from the start, and even combined it with the Stealing-Alice. She also did a good job stealing Aya's Alices and used them against the Anti-Alice members.

Natsume grunted and coughed out blood. He could barely see anymore. He knew Mikan had collapsed and he wanted to hold her in his arms. Gradually, he motioned over to her and lay down beside her. "You were too reckless…" he whispered, brushing some stray hair from her face. He pulled her close to him, and then he too lost consciousness.

* * *

Yuka stood awkwardly to one side as the hospital attendants strapped her daughter and Natsume to narrow trolleys. Sakurano and Youichi were standing by her side as the ghost, Yuki, was watching the scene from inside of her body. After reaching the specific room of the Hana Hime mansion, she only found Mikan and Natsume lying unconsciously on the floor. She was touched how Natsume held her daughter in his arms. She knew that he had protected her till the end.

Dr. Imai gave her his usual stoic expression with a hint of concern in his amethyst eyes. "I'll take care of her, Yuka-san," he said. He and the other hospital attendants started towards the doors of the emergency room.

Mikan and Natsume were not the only ones being treated at of this moment. There were also the injured members of the Hana Hime mansion, including Hii-sama and her assistant, Shizune. Narumi-sensei was being bandaged for his injured ankle as well. A lot of people in the hospital were mourning for the deaths of people who lost their lives in the hands of Aya and some were cursing the Anti-Alice Organization even more.

"Mikan…" Natsume opened his eyes slightly, adjusting to the light. He tried to push himself up.

Yuka hurried to his side before he could hurt himself more. His hand found hers as she kept pace with the moving bed. "We're at the hospital. You'll be okay now." The lines of pain on his face seemed to have deepened.

"Mikan…" he muttered his girlfriend's name again, and Yuka looked over to the bed beside his. Despite his condition, he was still thinking of Mikan.

"She's going to be fine as well," Yuka said in assurance, placing his hand down on the bed. Natsume merely sighed as he went back to being unconscious again.

The hospital attendants stopped before a set of double doors. "Ma'am, you'll have to wait here."

"I understand." Stirred by a sudden impulse, Yuka motioned over to her daughter's side, leaned down and kissed her softly on the cheek. "Mikan, I'll be waiting for you."

The attendants swept them from the hallway. Double doors that swung silently back into place marked their passage. There was nothing else to do but to be patient and wait for the results.

Yuka then felt a disturbing and guilty feeling from inside her. With Yuki's spirit inside her body, she could feel what he was feeling. They were connected to one another. "Zetsubou-kun, I don't want you to blame yourself for this," Yuka said. He was not to blame at all. Everything was all Aya's fault. She had lied to him, manipulated him, and used him for her own benefit.

"It's kinda hard for me, Azumi-san," Yuki said. "Sorry…. I need to be alone for a while…" He left Yuka's body quietly and his spirit quickly returned back to the middle school dorm.

Youichi felt the presence of the spirit leaving Yuka and he casually asked her if it was all right to let him go. He heard everything that happened to Shirasaki Yuki from the time he was summoned back from the spiritual world when they were at the Hana Hime mansion. Aya from the Anti-Alice must have some sort of Spirit Summoning Alice as well and he told Yuka about it. However, there was also a possibility Aya's Alice could be something different, because her abilities were almost limitless. It was frightening to think that the AAO has an Ace Alice-user on their side.

"We can trust Zetsubou-kun now…" Yuka said. There was no need to think of Yuki as a threat any more. When Yuki was inside her body, she didn't sense any malice in his heart, only guilt and sadness. "As for the Anti-Alice members, I'm sure they're long gone."

Leaning his back against the wall, Youichi stuffed his hands into his pockets and stared blankly at the floor. "Onee-chan and Onii-chan must have done something to make the AAO retreat," he muttered coolly. "They did well."

Sakurano nodded his head in agreement. "Although the enemy was powerful, they were able to fight," he added. "I'm impressed. However, I do want to hear what really happened. We'll just have to wait until those two will wake up."

"You're right," Yuka replied.

"Yuka-san, about the matter concerning Shirasaki Yuki…" Sakurano said, looking serious. "What are we going to do about him?"

"One thing for sure, we're not going to send him away by force," Yuka said, placing a closed hand against her heart. "He can stay as long as he has a reason to. I also want to ask him about the things that happened to him before he died. I want to hear his story. We just have to give him some time first. Zetsubou-kun had suffered enough."

"As you wish, Yuka-san," Sakurano replied, understanding the feelings of his senior.

* * *

The flame-caster had woken up the next day to the sounds of annoying chattering in the room. By just looking at the ceiling, he knew right away he was in a hospital. Natsume had never liked hospitals. In the past, he used to visit the hospital a lot because of his fourth-shaped Alice. He was eventually treated by the advanced medicines and healing techniques given to him, but he cannot exceed his limit in using his Alice. And the battle against Aya really took a lot from him. It was amazing how he was able to continue fighting for the sake of his loved one. His body was really giving up on him, yet his will hasn't. He knew that Mikan's strong will power had influenced him over the years. His girlfriend was never the type to give up on something and she would continue to see things optimistically despite the dangers around. Mikan was lying on the bed right next to his, and she seemed fine, much to his utter relief. He had the desire to lie down beside her, but he didn't want to show any affection while there were people around. Asuka, Kyo, and Ryou were all there, seated on the chairs, and they were the reason why Natsume was wide awake.

The loudest one, Kawashima Asuka, was currently discussing to Ryou and Kyo about the Hana Hime massacre. She expressed her deepest condolences to the people who died. She was one of the people who helped out the injured victims outside the mansion. Seeing the dead bodies made her want to vomit but she held it in strongly. "The academy has to prevent something as horrible as that from happening again," Asuka said. "The Anti-Alice Organization has gone too far."

"That all happened while we were taking classes," Ryou said, massaging his temples. "The AAO almost got Mikan-sama again. I wished I was there to help too."

Kyo sighed deeply as he placed a hand on Ryou's shoulder. "We can't do anything about it, Ryou," he said, "because it already happened. The important thing here is the fact Mikan-sama is safe and sound. The AAO failed to capture her once more."

Ryou scratched his head in frustration as he let out a growl. "Damn it!" he shouted. "Those Anti-Alice bastards better not come back for Mikan-sama again! But if they do, I'll personally make minced meat out of them!" His voice was so loud enough to make the Kawashima siblings irritated with him. Asuka unleashed her paper fan and Kyo raised his fist. Both hit Ryou at the same time, pummeling him to the floor.

"Please remember that this is a hospital, Ryou," Asuka said, tapping the paper fan on her shoulder.

"And may I remind you that there are patients sleeping in this room?" Kyo said monotonously, picking up Ryou from the floor by grabbing onto his collar. "Really, Ryou, you're such an idiot." Kyo placed Ryou back in his seat and flicked his forehead to bring him back from his dizzy state.

Ryou rubbed his sore head and groaned. "You guys didn't have to hit me so hard," he complained.

"If they didn't hit you, I would've burned you for that big mouth of yours…" a cold and unruly voice spoke out of turn.

The three of them turned their heads toward the direction of the voice. "Hyuuga!!" all of them uttered in unison, and Natsume popped a vein. Their voices were too loud for comfort.

"Why are you three simpletons here?" Natsume questioned in his usual strictness as he sat up on bed. He was expecting to see his future mother-in-law, Sakurano, or the doctor more, instead of them.

Asuka was about to hit Natsume with the paper fan, but Kyo immediately restrained her and told her not to be violent. "Remember, Hyuuga had just recovered," he reminded his hotheaded sister. "So, bear with him for now." Count on Kyo to be very understanding and considerate to other people. His personality was a lot different than his sister's.

Calming down, Asuka pursed her lips and puffed her cheeks. "It can't be helped," she muttered. When Kyo released her, she put away the paper fan. "I'll just bash you when you get out of the hospital, okay?" She threw Natsume a devious smile.

Natsume shrugged. "Whatever…" He rolled his eyes over to the bed beside his. The sight of Mikan's angelic face was breathtaking. It was good she was able to rest. The battle he and she endured had pushed them to the edge. He was glad she was safe from the AAO. But he knew they would be back for her. Next time they come, Natsume swore he will be stronger.

"I wonder when Mikan-chan will wake up," Asuka said, tapping her cheek with her finger. "I want to see her pretty little smile again. Her smile usually makes my day." She giggled like a little girl.

"Nee-chan, tone down the fan girl mode for a bit," Kyo said and received a deadly glare from Asuka. He pretended not see the glare and folded his arms in front of his chest. "You have to wait. Mikan-sama will wake up soon."

Natsume wanted to see Mikan's smiling face again too, to feel her lively and cheerful aura, and to listen to her talk animatedly to him. He wished Mikan would open her eyes at that moment. His body was already feeling a whole lot better. The medical staff treated him well. He wondered if Mikan had fully recovered. She was the one who used up a lot of Alices in the fight.

* * *

Having trouble easing her thoughts about a certain friend, Yuka made her way to the middle school dormitory. She was a bit hesitant at first, thinking that Yuki might still need more alone-time. However, she wanted to talk to him and comfort him in anyway possible. As she walked into the dorm, the students she past all looked at her and some greeted her. Well, she was a famous woman after all. Almost everyone knew of her history in the academy. Despite being an ex-member of the Anti-Alice Organization, she had become a respected figure for all Alices. In addition to that, she was famous for being the mother of Sakura Mikan. She had no trouble smiling back at the students as she walked through the hallways. When she reached the door leading to Mikan's Special Star room, she reached for the knob and took a deep breath.

Her friend was surely inside the room. She could sense his presence clearly—even without any Intuition Alice or Spirit Alice. She opened the door and found the ghost sitting on the bed with his head low. He was no longer covered in blood and the cut on his wrist was no longer present. "Zetsubou-kun…" she muttered the nickname—the one she'd given to him way back in the past. He had always complained about it, but she never stopped calling him that. She walked over to him and sat down beside him. "Hey, are you all right now?" she asked, and then she noticed that he was holding something in his hands. Yuki was in his solid state, which was no surprise for Yuka. Yuki did tell her that Aya gave him an Alice stone that has the power to turn him into a real being temporarily.

Yuki opened his hands, revealing a Sakura-shaped pin and a Sakura necklace. Both accessories were really beautiful. She recalled her daughter wearing those said items. "Those belong to Mikan," she said.

"When I was in Hyuuga Natsume's body, I stumbled upon a particular memory of his—the same memory that made me so jealous of him," he said, raising the necklace in front of his face. The Sakura pendant was pure and beautiful just like his precious Azumi-san and Mikan-san. "It was his memory of the time he gave this pendant to her. It was really sweet of him. That guy may look like a total jerk, but he's really good inside. He loves Mikan-san very much."

"That's Natsume-kun for you…" Yuka said as she took the Sakura pin from him. "And this one… If I remember correctly, this is the Sakura Sensor, a gift from Mikan's best friend."

"Mikan-san treasures these gifts dearly," he said, "just as how she treasures her feelings for Hyuuga."

Yuka smiled and placed her head on Yuki's shoulder. "Mikan is always honest with her feelings," she said, closing her eyes, as she pictured Mikan's face in her mind. "Zetsubou-kun, I want you to be honest with me as well." She pulled back and touched his hand. The pin she was holding turned a little blue, signaling her change of mood.

Yuki blushed at the sight of her face. "Azumi-san…What is it?" he asked. "It seems like you want to ask me something. Am I correct?"

She nodded her head. "Please tell me why you killed yourself?" Yuka asked with a faltering voice. "Was it because of me? I know I've rejected your feelings, but at that time…I was…" She averted her eyes away from him and grasped her skirt tightly with one hand. The Sakura sensor turned deep blue, indicating a melancholy feeling.

The Phantom Lover placed the Sakura pendant on the bedside drawer and stood up from the bed. He walked over to the balcony door and stared up at the sky. It was already nearing dawn. "Rumors say that I committed suicide…" he muttered, placing an arm over his temple, as he leaned forward on the door. "I didn't actually commit suicide."

Yuka's head shot up at the revelation. "What did you say…?" She stood up, sat the sensor on the drawer, and marched over to him. "What do you mean? Reports said that you killed yourself. They even found your dead body together with a knife and you had a cut on your wrist. But if you say that you didn't kill yourself, then what really happened to you?" She clutched onto her arm, digging her fingers slowly.

"Oh." He turned his head to look at Yuka. The expression of her eyes stirred up his heart. "Do you really want to here my story? No matter how gruesome it is?" he asked, and Yuka nodded in reply. Well, he had no reason not to tell her. He was already death and no one in the academy actually knew what really happened to him. It was time someone knew the truth.

_"Azumi-san, don't go!" Yuki uttered. "Please! I want you here! I need you…and that's because…" He bit his lip and clenched his fists hard. He was hesitant to say those words in his heart, but he had to. "I love you…I love you with all my heart, Azumi-san…" _

_Yuka reached for the knob and opened the door. Without looking back at Yuki, she said, "I'm sorry, but I can't return your feelings. As you know, I only love sensei…" She took a step forward and let out a sigh. "Goodbye, Zetsubou-kun…" Those were her last words before she closed the door behind her. _

_Yuki stood on the spot, a bit shocked yet very much depressed. The senior he admired, the only girl who befriended him, the light which led him out of his misery, had left him. And it was all because of the death of her sensei. He got furious. His love was rejected because Yuka loved her sensei the best, even though he was already dead. He didn't want her to leave him. If she can't stay, then he thought of leaving with her. He was sick of the academy anyway. It might be better for him to get away from their clutches. The academy has no future for him. The higher-ups only treated him like a caged bird. _

_A choice was made. His mind was set. He just had to follow his heart and go after Yuka. Opening the cabinet, he took out his middle school summer uniform. He put it on without the necktie. It wasn't necessary anyway. He stood by the door and took time to glance at his room one last time. He had basically spent his whole life in the room, and now it was time to say goodbye to it. As he reached for the knob, he looked at the prevention device on his wrist. It was a silver bangle with gothic designs on it. It was the device that controlled his Alice of Darkness. It can't be usually seen because he always wore long-sleeved pajamas. If he was going to escape the academy, he might need the power of Darkness. _

_He made his way down the hall, walking normally as usual. He saw a doctor by the nurse's station, using his cellphone. At that point, he came up with an ingenious plan. After the doctor put away his cellphone, he purposely bumped into a doctor at a corner and fell butt first on the floor. "I'm sorry…I felt kind of dizzy," Yuki said. "I wasn't looking very carefully." _

_The doctor knelt down to his level quickly. "Are you all right, Shirasaki-kun?" he asked. He was the doctor in charge of Shirasaki Yuki and it was his responsibility to make sure his patient was well. "What are you doing out here? You're supposed to be resting in your room." _

_"I was getting bored in my room, doc," Yuki said, pretending to be weary. "I thought of going out for a walk." _

_"I advise you to go back to your room, Shirasaki-kun," the doctor said, and then he noticed Yuki's outfit. "Why are you wearing your uniform?" _

_Yuki smirked as he gripped the doctor's hand. "Like I said, I'm going out for a walk…But I'm not coming back…" Before the doctor could react, his other hand reached for the cellphone in his pocket. Activating his Technopathy Alice, he transformed the cellphone to a body-manipulating contraption in a form of a bangle. He put it on the doctor's wrists and started controlling his hand at will. _

_"What's going on?" The doctor's hand was shaking involuntarily._

_The young lad let out a chuckle. "Technopathy is really my favorite Alice," he said. Controlling the doctor's hand, he forced him to remove the prevention device on his wrist. Once removed, Yuki used his Alice of Darkness and engulfed the whole hallways in a dark aura, making every person there stop. "I'm surprised. I didn't know I had this much power. My Alice had gotten way stronger than before." _

_He ran out of the hospital, leaving the hospital attendants in their motionless state. He scanned the surroundings, figuring he was lost. It was the first time he set foot out of the hospital, so he didn't know his way around the academy. The first thing coming up in his mind was the high school dormitory, knowing that Yuka was a high school student. He searched for the said dorm on foot, without asking any help from anyone. _

_He stopped over in the Southern Woods for a quick rest after fifteen minutes of aimless running and walking. The effect of his Alice must have worn out already, he thought. "They're going to start searching for me. I have to hurry and find Azumi-san." He went out of the forest and took a path leading to a particular dorm. When he saw security forces roaming around the building, he quickly hid himself behind a tree. "Crap, are they looking for me or for Azumi-san?" _

_One of the security forces grunted, scratching his head in frustration. "She's a slick one," he said. "She got away from us so easily, and now we're looking for her like a needle in a haystack. That girl is a tricky one. One student said that he spotted her coming into this dorm." _

_Yuki's eyes grew wide. Those guys were talking about Azumi-san for sure, he thought, peeking his head out a little. His efforts in hiding were wasted when one security force spotted him. "You, who are you?" the guy asked. Busted! Yuki had no choice but to reveal himself instead of running away to avoid suspicion. "What were you doing hiding back there? Don't you know we're currently running a search party? All students are requested to stay indoors." _

_"I'm sorry, sir," Yuki replied politely. "I was just taking a walk. I'll go inside right away." _

_"Hurry it up," the guy demanded. _

_Obediently, Yuki started towards the dorm. At the same time, the doctor from the hospital contacted the guard through the communicator and informed him about the escaped patient. The doctor told the guard every important detail about the patient, especially his appearance and Alices. It was then the guard demanded Yuki to stop. _

_"You're the one who escaped from the hospital, aren't you?" the guard asked. _

_Yuki faced the security forces with a smile. "I'm sorry. You must've mistaken me for someone else." _

_The other guard had the Mind-Reading Alice and he easily found out that Yuki was lying. "He's the one," he said. "And we have orders to return him to the hospital." _

_"Tch…I wasn't planning on fighting you guys, but I guess I have no choice," Yuki said, closing his deep green eyes. He opened them again almost instantly, unleashing a mass of dark shadow around the guards. The shadow engulfed them in darkness and started giving them terrible nightmares and illusions. Yuki made sure not to wound them. "You guys are no match against me." As he snapped his fingers, the shadow around them disappeared and all of them dropped unconsciously on the ground. _

_Turning around, he walked into the dorm and found more of the security forces there. "How many of you guys are there?" he asked, arching a brow. "No matter. I won't let you stop me." But something went wrong he used his Alice of Darkness again. Instead of attacking the opponents, the darkness dealt damage to his body. And it was damn painful for his part. _

_Two guards tried approaching him, but they were instantly blown away by Yuki's power. One guard used his Barrier Alice on him, which proved to be useless against Yuki's darkness. Yuki dropped to his knees due to the pain, not only in his heart, but also in his mind. His Alice was also eating away his life. Cursed his fourth-shaped Alice! He concentrated hard, hoping to regain a little control of his Alice again. He was successful, but he can't let his guard down. _

_One of the guards was wary of him and thought Yuki might attack them with the Darkness. He pulled out a knife and charged towards Yuki. "You have to come with us silently!" he shouted. He was fast, and Yuki had no time to run away. Yuki merely blocked by raising his arms over his face. The guard slashed through his wrist and blood came spewing out in seconds. _

_Yuki was flabbergasted. He didn't think the guard would be crazy enough to harm a student. "So, is this what Azumi-san is talking about?" he muttered, placing a hand over the cut on his wrist. "The academy doesn't show any leniency to rebellious students and they also use them for dangerous mission. This school is sick. Every single one of you should go to hell!" His voice boomed at the last statement and he unleashed a powerful dark aura, which knocked out the security forces in a split second and erased their memories of him. _

_However, the attacked caused his Alice of Darkness to take over his mentality completely. "Azumi-san…" he said in a low voice. "Wait for me…I'm coming for you…" He walked towards the stairs, trailing droplets of blood along the way. The darkness inside of him left his whole body numb. He couldn't even feel his wound anymore. He couldn't sense that he was close to dying. _

_"Azumi-san…" He kept chanting her name over and over again like a spell. _

_The students who heard the commotion outside came out of their room and saw him past by them as if they weren't there. They wondered who he was and some got concerned of his bleeding state. Girls tried to tell him to go to a hospital and some guys called him crazy. Others tried to drag him out of the dorm, but he pushed them away with his Alice. _

_"Don't get in my way…" Yuki used teleportation, yet another Alice of his, and jumped to the last floor of the dorm. It was where he fell to the floor. "Azumi-san…I want to be with you. I want to see you…" He imagined her beautiful face, her warm smile, and her charming laughter. Sadly, his body has reached its limit. He lost too much blood and the Alice inside of him was diminishing his life. When his vision was blurring, tears streamed down from his eyes. He forced himself to face the ceiling as he smiled weakly. He finally snapped back to his senses, but it was too late for him. His only regret was not seeing his precious senior again after his much desire to be with her. "Azumi-san, I love you…" With those words, he finally left the world of the living. _

Yuka clamped her mouth with her hands as she took an involuntarily step backwards. She would never have guessed of something so tragic to happen to her friend. She felt sorry, no, guilty. After all, Yuki went out of the hospital to look for her. He fought the security forces, thinking she was inside that dorm. Yuka couldn't hold back her tears any longer. She started crying. "I'm sorry, Yuki…" she said, finally calling him by his first name. "I'm really sorry…"

The ghost's lips curved into a smile at the sound of his name. "Don't be sorry, Azumi-san," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm not blaming you for what happened." He caressed her cheek, making her look at him.

"Still, I feel terrible, Yuki…" She embraced him and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry for everything." She clasped the back of his shirt tightly and cried more tears.

Yuki rubbed her back for comfort and nestled his chin on the crook of her neck. "I'm sorry too, Azumi-san," he said softly. "I'm sorry for all the things I've done, especially to your daughter."

Both of them were at fault, Yuka thought, but not one of them was blaming each other. They knew very well the situation they were in and understood each other's feelings, nevertheless. Yuka was always forgiving and kind, and Yuki may be cold person, but deep down he was nice. They may share different perspectives in life, but the two of them were good friends before. And being good friends, they were willing to forget the mistakes of one another and move on. No words were spoken for a while as the two shared an embrace, which seemed to last for eternity. The two felt warmth in each other's presence.

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: Gah! I'm done with chapter 27! I was planning to make this longer, but my annoying brother is nagging me. He wants to use the computer already. DAMN! I wanted to write more. Oh well, I've gotta save more for the next chapters as well. Expect some Natsume and Mikan moments in the next chapter. Oh, Yuki is going to bid farewell in the next one too. It's going to be a sad yet happy farewell. It will be the last of the Phantom Lover Arc.


	28. A Gift from a Precious Friend

JC: The last chapter for the Phantom Lover Arc. It's time to bid goodbye to Shirasaki Yuki-kun, also known as Zetsubou-kun. As promised, I added some Natsume and Mikan moments. Oh yeah, there's going to be a Narumi and Yuka moment too. I hope you'll enjoy reading this chapter.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. Shirasaki Yuki is from the manga, Absolute Boyfriend by Yuu Watarase. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 28: A Gift from a Precious Friend

"Being with you like this, I can say I'm really happy now," Yuki said, gently pushing her away to face her. His green eyes contacted her eyes and a smile graced his lips immediately. "Azumi-san, I'm still truly in love with you, but I know you can never love me back. I understand how much you loved sensei before. I'm in no position to force my love upon you. Although, I did try to force it on your daughter…" He let out an awkward chuckle, and Yuka pinched his cheek hard.

"Good thing you're solid now," Yuka said, narrowing her eyes, but the tears were still present. "If not, I can't do this to you." She pinched both of his cheeks and released them. She laughed at the sight of his sour face as she wiped away the tears from her eyes.

Yuki sighed, thinking he deserved the crab-like pinch. "You know, you always look good with a smile," he said, and Yuka stopped laughing just to smile at him. He felt his cheeks reddening and his heart pounding. "Azumi-san, you're beautiful and you're daughter looks a lot like you. I might fall in love with her too."

Scowling, Yuka lightly punched his arm. "My daughter's off-limits, Zetsubou-kun!" She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head away. "And don't get any funny ideas about it. You've already caused a lot of trouble for her."

Seeing her react like that brought back memories to him. The way Yuka was acting towards him was the usual and optimistic Yuka like before. He was happy about it. "Azumi-san, if you'll let me, I want to apologize to your daughter," he said. "I know the darkness made me obsessive, but it was still me who has done such horrible things to her."

Yuka looked at him again and nodded her head. "Of course… And I'm sure Mikan will forgive you right away," she said.

Yuki raised a brow. "How sure are you, Azumi-san?"

"Very sure," Yuka replied confidently. She pointed a finger at him and placed one hand on her waist. "Don't forget that I'm her mother." And she was proud of that fact.

"I'm sure you're a good mother, because Mikan-san turned out to be a very admirable daughter. She possesses such strong will power. She's also a beauty. I'm sure she'll bloom more as she grows."

"I have to agree with you about Mikan," she said, reaching out for his shoulder. Much to her surprise, her hand just went through him. "Hey, what's the big idea? Don't go ghostly on me now, Zetsubou-kun."

Yuki heaved a deep sigh. "It's not me," he replied. "I guess the Alice stone I got from Aya-san is used up. I can no longer make myself solid. I'm nothing but a transparent being now." He showed a faint smile to Yuka.

The brunette grimaced and lowered her gaze to the floor. "So, this means I can't touch you anymore…" While she was talking to him, she really felt like he was alive. She wished he was still alive. But that kind of wish will never happen. No one can bring back a dead person back to life. Yuki's life had ended a long time ago. "Zetsubou-kun, I want you to know that, even though you're a ghost, you're still my friend."

"Honestly, you never get tired of calling me with that ridiculous nickname," Yuki said, shaking his head, as he saw someone peeking from the door. He knew from the very beginning that a group of people were eavesdropping on him and Yuka. He only kept quiet about it. "You know I'm not in despair anymore."

"Come on, I'm being sentimental here," Yuka said, looking up at him. "And…And I can't help calling you Zetsubou-kun." She blushed slightly.

"And that's proof that you still see me as your friend," Yuki said. "That nickname…I don't really despise it. I actually like it whenever you say it, Azumi-san. But it does annoy me sometimes." He scratched his head and smiled awkwardly.

"But you said you like it," Yuka said. "And I do love annoying you, Zetsubou-kun."

Yuki rolled his eyes away. "Um…Whatever, Azumi-san…" he muttered. "Anyway, I have something I must do. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"You have something to do? What is it?"

Yuki leaned forward until his mouth was near her ear. He was pretty tall in height despite being a middle school student only. He had died at the young age of fourteen, and as a ghost, he cannot age anymore. "It's a secret," he whispered into her ear. "You'll know of it tomorrow. By the way, I think there are a couple of eavesdroppers outside." He pulled back and smiled at Yuka before he vanished.

"Eavesdroppers?" Yuka muttered, spinning around on her heels. She marched across the room and stepped outside only to find Mikan, Natsume, and Narumi. "You three…? What are you doing here? And Mikan, aren't you supposed to be in the hospital? Natsume-kun too?"

"Yuka-senpai, Mikan-chan was worried about you," Narumi said, placing both hands on Mikan's shoulder. His action earned him a death glare from Natsume, and he pretended not to notice that. "You seemed problematic when you visited her in the hospital. She wanted to know if you were all right."

The mother had reached for her daughter's hand. "I'm sorry for making you worry, Mikan," she said, rubbing the back of Mikan's hand. "It's just that I couldn't stop thinking of Yuki. I know you heard his story, right?" He looked at Natsume and Narumi and said, "You all did."

"Okaa-san, I wanted to talk to Shirasaki-kun too," Mikan said, and Natsume shrugged. Mikan knew he was still annoyed with the ghost for what he did to her, and she told him countless times to forgive him already. Well, her boyfriend was a stubborn one and he didn't like it when other guys touched her. "Where did he go, Okaa-san? Will he come back? I hope he didn't leave this world yet." There were so many things she wanted to say to Yuki. More importantly, she wanted to be friends with him, much to Natsume's dismay.

"I'm not sure where he took off to," Yuka replied, "but I'm sure he'll come back. Probably tomorrow, I guess." She was fairly curious about this secret-thing Yuki whispered into her ear. What was that ghost up to?

Mikan turned to her room and saw her precious gifts on the bedside drawer. She went inside to get them. She first took the Sakura Sensor and pinned it on the left chest part of her pajama top. She paused to look at the sensor for a while, seeing it turning light pink for joy, as she thought about her best friend, Imai Hotaru. It has been a long time since she last saw her. She wondered when she was coming home. Mikan missed her a lot. She then grabbed the Sakura necklace and wore it around her neck. The necklace has become one of her most priced possession because it was given to her by Natsume himself. It was so sweet of him to buy such a gift. Natsume has a romantic side and rarely shows it.

Walking out of the room, she flung herself towards Natsume and hugged his arm like a teddy bear. "Natsume, once we're out of the hospital, why don't you and I go on a date?" she asked in her oh-so-cheerful voice as she smiled radiantly at him. "We didn't get to date last time. What do you say, Natsume?"

Yuka giggled and patted Natsume's shoulder. "She's so enthusiastic about it, Natsume-kun," she said. "It would be rude to refuse her. Well, I don't think you can resist her either." As a mother, she also found it hard to resist Mikan's charms and playfulness. She was sure Natsume was the same.

"Fine…whatever…" he said grouchily, pretending not to look interested as usual. Deep inside, he was real happy that Mikan suggested the date. After all the trouble he has been through, a date with Mikan would surely be relaxing.

Mikan released his arm and flailed her arms in the air. "Yey! A date it is!" She was rejoicing like a child, and the two adults there, Yuka and Narumi, lightly laughed at her cute reaction. "Natsume, I want you to treat me to lots and lots of Fluff Puffs, okay?" She put on an adorable expression, which made Natsume a little awkward.

He felt like he was going to blush any minute. In order to prevent that, he pushed her face away by the temple with a finger and spun around on his heels. "Getting excited over Fluff Puffs," he muttered, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "You're such a child." After saying that, he began walking away. It was true that Mikan can be such a child, but her childishness was something he adored in her as well.

Arching a brow, Mikan chased after him. "But you will buy me Fluff Puffs, right?" she said, tugging on his sleeve. "Right, Natsume? Come on, tell me! You'll buy me Fluff Puffs…" She kept on bugging him, and Natsume tried his best to ignore her and to keep walking.

Narumi leaned himself slightly on Yuka, careful not to overwhelm her with his weight, and draped an arm over her shoulders. "They're really are a cute couple, Yuka-senpai," he said with a wide grin. "I wish we can be like that." Although he only said it as a joke, Yuka took it seriously and blushed like crazy. Narumi happened to see her red face and chuckled, earning him a glare from her. He quickly pulled away from her and apologized from getting fresh with her.

Yuka sighed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Your flirty ways never seems to fade away, huh?" she muttered in an exasperated tone. "Naru, honestly, do you still have feelings for me until now?" She gave him an inquiring look.

It wasn't the kind of question he was expecting, so he didn't know what to say to her. His heart still held feelings for Yuka. "Erm…Well, I…" He scratched the back of his head awkwardly and chuckled to himself. He had already confessed his love to her before, so why was he having a hard time telling her that he still loved her. "I know you don't love any guy beside sensei. Even if I would try courting you, I would still have no chance. I guess I'm just a victim of unrequited love like Shirasaki-kun." Mr. Unrequited Love would be the perfect title for him, he thought.

"My feelings for sensei are still here," Yuka said, placing a hand on her heart. "You know, I wished he was still alive. I'm sure he would turn out to be a great father for Mikan." She pictured her handsome sensei carrying their daughter in his hands as they played on the beach. It was a wonderful imagination.

Narumi's smile weakened a bit. He couldn't help feeling downhearted. "Sensei was a good man," he said. "Mikan-chan may not know him, but she still loves him."

Yuka nodded her head in agreement. After quitting the AAO, she returned to the academy and got reunited with her daughter. Things were a little awkward for them at first, but eventually she and Mikan got closer and closer. Their mother and daughter relationship bloomed like flowers in spring. Then there came a time when Mikan asked her about her true father. Of course, Yuka told her everything about sensei, and Mikan was sure delighted to hear about him. "She has a picture of sensei hidden in her room and she keeps it like a treasure," Yuka said. "She grew up without sensei, but she still received the love of a father through her grandfather back at the country and…" She looked keenly at Narumi and smiled.

"Senpai…?"

"Naru, have I ever told you that you're a great father?" Yuka said, and Narumi looked at her with a confused expression. She poked Narumi's temple and let out a giggle. "What's with that stupid look, Naru? I'm stating the truth here. Mikan was able to experience what it's like to have a father here in the academy because of you. You supported her, protected her, and most of all you loved her as if she was really your own daughter. I can't thank you enough for all the things you did for her."

Narumi was a little surprised yet happy with her words. Such a compliment from her meant a lot to him. True, he had always been the father Mikan never had ever since she was ten. He had always been there for her through thick and thin. "I do wish I was her real father instead," he said softly.

Yuka didn't hear what she said and asked him to repeat. However, Narumi just shook his head and told her it was nothing. "Okay then…" She turned around and took a step forward before she looked back at Narumi. "I'll head over the High School Principal's office," she said. "I still have to discuss with him about the mission in Osaka. I only finished the mission halfway because of the whole AAO incident here. Plus, I'm worried about Shiki over there."

"That's right…" Narumi said. "Shiki is your partner in that mission. Knowing him, I'd say he has probably finished it by now. He is very dependable."

"Indeed," she added. "But I still have to check." Shiki used to be with the Anti-Alice Organization together with her. He had always been loyal to Yuka and helped her out many times. Shiki and Yuka shared a closed bond of partnership and nothing more.

As she walked away, Narumi saw something from the corner of his eyes. A moving shadow just past by to be exact. He thought it was just a figment of his imagination, but he felt someone creeping up from behind him. In a blink of an eye, he turned around and saw Shirasaki Yuki. "Woah, you startled me there, Shirasaki-kun," he said, heaving a sigh of relief.

"You're Narumi, right?" Yuki asked, and Narumi nodded his head in reply. "Azumi-san mentioned you a lot before when I was still alive. She told me you were popular with girls, but you keep flirting with her a lot." He somehow had a dark and ominous aura behind him when he said that.

Narumi swallowed hard and tried to remain composed. "I do have the tendency to cling to her a lot during the old days," he said, and the aura just grew bigger and bigger. Narumi sensed jealousy riling in him, so he had to say something good to tone it down. "I tried to make her fall in love with me. In the end, she still chose sensei."

"She told me you have the Human Inclination Pheromone Alice," Yuki said. "I'm glad you didn't use it on her."

"I would never…" Narumi brushed his hand through his blonde locks. "By doing that, I would only make Yuka-senpai suffer. Love isn't something to be taken forcefully."

"I heard those lines before." Yuki cupped his chin with his hand and gave Narumi a keen look. "The both of us fell in love with the same girl who didn't return our feelings. Talk about rejection, but that's life. Anyway, I would like to ask you a favor, Narumi-san. I hope you don't mind."

"As long as it's not bad or anything, I won't mind," Narumi replied.

Yuki grinned maliciously at him. "No, it's not bad at all," he said in an eerie voice. "But it will make us both happy." He let out a bit of a maniacal laughter as he approached Narumi. The blonde teacher felt intimidated by him and took an involuntarily step backward. Before Narumi knew it, Yuki went inside his body to possess it.

* * *

The weather was fine the next morning. For Mikan, it was so good to be out of the hospital. She was in her room, brushing her silky hair in front of the mirror, and she was already dressed in her middle school uniform. Although Dr. Imai suggested that she needed some more rest, she insisted she was fine and able to go to school already. Subaru trusted her enough to let her, but he gave her some medications in case she'll get dizzy. And the doctor's advice was really helpful. She could always count on him for her health. The doctor was always nice to her in a very indifferent way. She wished he could be nicer to his little sister, Hotaru. However, every time they meet, Hotaru and Subaru would either spat criticisms at one another or engage in a staring a contest. What a weird sibling relationship, Mikan said to herself as she thought about Hotaru. She missed her so much. She had no idea what was the exact date of when she was coming back. She hoped it was after the exam week. She wondered what Hotaru was doing at that moment. Knowing her best friend the most, she figured that Hotaru was probably busying herself with inventions and food. Nothing can outshine Hotaru's love for food, especially seafood, so it was no wonder some people call her a pig. She had heard Natsume called her that several times already, even Subaru himself.

Sighing, she placed down the brush and stood up from the chair. Before leaving her room, she pinned the Sakura Sensor on her uniform and wore the Sakura necklace around her neck. "I love wearing these," she muttered with a giggle. As soon as she stepped out of the room, she saw Natsume standing beside her doorway. "Good morning, Natsume!" She leaned towards him and gave him a small peck on the cheek.

Natsume raised a brow at her. "What took you so long?" he said in a nonchalant way. He had been waiting for her for thirty minutes already. Honestly, his girlfriend can take a lot of time to prepare. "You know that I don't like to be kept waiting or have you forgotten? Huh? Polka-dots?" A familiar arrogant smirk greased his lips, which made Mikan furious.

"I'm a girl, okay? I do a lot of things like sprucing up and make sure my hair is all in the right place." She rolled her eyes away as she folded her arms in front of her chest. "And for your information, Natsume, I'm not wearing polka-dots today. So, would you mind not calling me that? It's annoying."

He will never get tired of calling her 'Polka-dots'. It was his favorite nickname for her. Besides, he would occasionally see her wearing polka-dotted panties. "Not polka-dots today?" he said. He walked past her, flipping her skirt up along the way. Mikan's face flushed red in an instant and Natsume just threw her a bored look. "Tch…Blue stripes, huh?" He could sense her furiousness growing, so Natsume started down the hallways to get some distance from her.

"NATSUME!!" Mikan hollered, stomping her foot down, as she raised a fisted hand. "YOU'RE SUCH A PERVERTED MORON!!" Sure, Natsume had already seen her body, but it doesn't give him the right to harass her right there. If he wasn't her boyfriend, he would probably have him jailed for sexual harassment. She knew very well how Natsume loved it whenever he teased her. It was sort of his favorite past time, aside from reading manga. She managed to catch up with him and continued reprimanding him for being a pervert. As usual, Natsume pretended to ignore her as much a possible, making her more pissed off. She only stopped her mouth when they've reached the middle school building.

Walking through the hallways was the same old for Mikan and Natsume. Many students would greet as they pass by: the fan boys would expressly greet their darling princess. Mikan, in return, smiled at them with her trademark smile. Such a smile was enough to make the boys blush furiously. The fan boys were annoying to Natsume like always. Some students came up to them and inquired them about the Hana Hime massacre. This was most surprising for the both of them, because the massacre was supposed to be a secret to everyone except for the teachers and the ones involved in the incident. How could the students know about it? Other fan boys even asked about Mikan's condition and expressed their uneasiness about her being the target of the Anti-Alice Organization. Mikan couldn't really answer them. She felt a bit tongue-tied, telling them that she didn't want to talk about it. It was a good thing Natsume just scared them away with a glare before she could answer.

"Looks like some idiot spread the news," Natsume said. He overheard some girls chattering about the massacre and on of them sounded so scared. "This is not good. They're becoming restless." And for some reason, a lot of students were sending him dagger-like glares. Okay, he was used to getting glares from Mikan's fan boys, but at that point, he was also getting glares from non-fan club members. It was weird in so many ways.

Mikan's face lightened more when she entered the classroom and greeted her fellow classmates. It has been a while since she last saw them, but she felt like it was an eternity. Her fans in class promptly greeted her with respect. Her closest friends, namely Tobita Yuu, Umenomiya Anna, Ogasawara Nonoko, Kokoroyomi, Kitsuneme, and her rival-friend, Shouda Sumire, gathered around her and welcomed her back to class. "A lot of things had happened to me, so I feel really great to be able to join everyone in class again," she said cheerfully.

The cat-dog girl first flashed Natsume a smile before she turned to Mikan. Sumire shrugged, flipping her dark-green hair. "We just heard the rumors, Sakura-san," she said in her usual strict voice. "It's amazing that you're still alive." Truth to be known, Sumire got very worried about Mikan and Natsume when she heard the rumors floating around the whole academy. But she was the type of person who would refuse to show any weaknesses in front of others.

"We don't know the exact details, but we do know that a member of the Anti-Alice Organization single-handedly killed and injured a lot of people at the Hana Hime mansion," Class Representative Yuu explained clearly, adjusting his spectacles. "We've also found out that you and Natsume-kun fought with this member."

Tilting her head in confusion, Mikan said, "That incident is supposed to be a secret." She briefly glanced at Natsume and then back at her friends. "But how did you guys find out about it?" She even remembered Hii-sama ordering her and Natsume to keep it to themselves.

"The whole school knows this," Kokoroyomi spoke up with his never-changing happy expression. "I've read some minds today and I discovered that a guy wearing a hood was actually the one who spread the rumors. Nobody knows who the guy is. They don't even know if the guy is a student here." Leave it to Kokoroyomi to have information. His mind-reading ability was really handy in most times. The only mind he can't read was Mikan because of her Nullification Alice.

Mikan looked a little despondent. "Aside from the massacre, did you guys hear anything else?" She hoped that there weren't any rumors about the Phantom Lover. She didn't want the students to be afraid of the ghost roaming around the middle school dorm.

Everyone grew silent. Kokoroyomi scratched his head awkwardly as he averted his eyes away from her. Yuu, Anna, Nonoko, and Kitsuneme gave her a sad frown, while Sumire let out a raw sigh as she crossed her arms. By the expressions of their faces, Mikan could tell that the rumors they heard weren't good. Well, the massacre thing was already too gruesome. Then she noticed Anna and Nonoko looking worriedly at Natsume. "Um…guys, what else you have heard?" she asked.

Sumire took the liberty of answering her, seeing as no one else in the group had the guts to speak up. "Sakura-san, it's about Natsume-kun," she said, and the couple immediately looked at her. "I hate to say this, but there are rumors saying that he almost raped you at the Hana Hime mansion. Of course, I would never believe that. Natsume-kun isn't the kind of person who would do vulgar things, especially to you." She bit her lip after her explanation. As fan girl, she was exceptionally loyal to Natsume and Ruka, and she had always stood up for them.

Natsume acted like he didn't care, but deep inside he was very disturbed by the rumor. He almost raped Mikan? Was that some kind of joke? Sure, there were times he would take advantage of her. They already did it more than once already. Plus, he doesn't recall anything about raping her back at the mansion. The ghost probably took advantage of her, but he didn't go as far. It was no wonder many students were staring at him as if he was a criminal. The rumor was making him look worse. He already had a bad reputation in the academy and he didn't need a false rumor to make him more irksome to others.

"You have the right idea, Permy," Mikan said, and Sumire narrowed her eyes as she heard her nickname. "The Hana Hime massacre is true, but the one about Natsume is not. Like Permy said, Natsume isn't vulgar." He can be a pervert, but he wasn't a maniac. How can there be such a bad rumor about him? Kokoroyomi told her it was some guy wearing a hood who started the rumors. She wondered who that guy could be, but she pushed the thought away as she saw Narumi-sensei coming into the room.

All of them went to their respective seats, and Mikan did not fail to greet Nogi Ruka as she sat down beside him. She decided to sit between the two boys, and Natsume didn't' seem to mind it. She noticed that Ruka didn't bring his rabbit along and she asked him if it was sick or something. To her relief, Ruka told her that it in the barn with his other animal friends. "Too bad, though, I really missed your rabbit," she said. "By the way, thank you for the flowers you gave me back at the hospital. I wasn't able to thank you properly because Asuka-senpai kept on talking. There were also senpai and the others." She let out a light laughter. A lot of her friends, seniors, classmates, and fans came to visit her in the hospital. She received so many get-well cards, flowers, and gifts, and she was so grateful for all of them. The fan boys made a ruckus inside her room, but they didn't stay long because Natsume threatened them to leave. Her favorite seniors, Misaki and Tsubasa, were pretty upset of the fact they weren't aware of what was happening, but they were happy to see Mikan well. Mikan almost got crushed by Misaki-senpai's powerful hug and she enjoyed Tsubasa's tickle session, much to Natsume's dismay.

"It's no problem at all, Sakura," Ruka said. "By the way, I've heard the rumors. It must be tough on you guys, especially on Natsume. Many people actually believed that Natsume almost raped you. They're so quick to judging people." He had his hands clenched at this point. It was obvious that he was irritated by the rumors going on.

Natsume heard his blonde best friend and let out a raw sigh. "Don't make a fuss about it, Ruka," he said, leaning back on his seat, as he placed his feet on the table. "It's just a stupid rumor. Whoever believes it is just as stupid as the guy who started the rumor." He was not going to let the rumor get to him. And he didn't care if people think badly of him.

His frown turning into a smile, Ruka looked at the flame-caster. "It's so like you to say such things," he said, chuckling a little. "But you're right. Rumors are rumors. The whole rape-thing is definitely false. Just look at Sakura right now. She's still fine."

"People will soon realize the truth," Mikan said. "I'm sure of it."

* * *

It was a quarter passed four. Mikan and Natsume were summoned to the teacher's lounge by Narumi-sensei. When they got there, they saw Yuka sitting on the couch while sipping her tea casually. Mikan ran up to her and gave her a quick hug, careful enough not to spill the tea. After that, she sat down right beside Yuka as Natsume sat down on the seat right across them. Mikan saw the tea and biscuits on the coffee table and she didn't hesitate to have some. Class was extremely boring for the day and it only made her hungry. The biscuits were absolutely yummy. She told Natsume to try them, but he refused to do so, saying that he wasn't hungry. Well, more for her and her mother, she thought happily as she took a bite of her biscuit.

A cell phone rang sharply, playing the tune of 'O2' by Orange Range. Mikan remembered that particular song from the anime hit series 'Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion'. Natsume was currently hooked on the manga, and Mikan read it as well. Yuka picked up the phone after the second ring. "This is Azumi Yuka speaking," she said formally, setting down the teacup on the table.

"I want to confirm your exact date of arrival here in Osaka," a familiar voice said through the other line. The voice was manly, cool, and refined. She knew who it was very well.

"I'll be arriving there tomorrow afternoon at 3 PM by train," Yuka explained carefully. "What's the status of the Alice?"

He sighed. "I've talked to the parents," he said, "and it seems like they are unwilling to let the child go to Alice Academy. The child has a powerful Alice as well. But I did manage to persuade the parents about taking the child's Alice."

"If that's the case, then you'll really need me," she replied. "Thank you for the update, Shiki."

"No problem," Shiki said. "Be careful on your way here. You'll be bringing Sakurano along, right?"

"Yes, I will." Yuka was leaving the academy again for an important mission. She should have been done with that mission already. But she had to postpone it and come back to the academy for her daughter. Her daughter was her number one priority. "Until then, Shiki…" With that, she hung up and placed the cell phone back into her pocket.

Mikan looked at her mother curiously. "That was Shiki-san?!" she said. "It's been a long time since I last saw him. How is he, Okaa-san?" She first met Shiki when she was ten years old. At that time, Shiki and her mother were enemies of the academy. After quitting the organization, Shiki and Yuka remained loyal partners and friends. Mikan was a little scared of Shiki before, because he seemed so cold and emotionless. To top it all, he was extremely quiet. She tried coming up with topics that would interest him, but she would always run out of things to say to him. Still, she had grown to like Shiki as he has grown to like her. Mikan looked up to him as an uncle.

"He's fine as always," Yuka answered her daughter's question. "It was too bad he wasn't able to join the Alice Festival this year."

"We'll always have next year and the year after that!" Mikan exclaimed optimistically. "Anyway, I wonder what Narumi-sensei wants with me and Natsume. He didn't tell us the reason."

Natsume shrugged and slouched on his seat as he leaned his face on his hand. "That guy seemed pretty serious a while ago too," he said nonchalantly. "He was out of character."

Speaking of the devil, Narumi walked into the room, looking a lot like his usual self, and greeted the people there with a cheery smile. Mikan walked over to him and gave him a hug, which made Natsume a tad wee jealous. Narumi could sense the glare he was getting from Natsume. As much as he loved being hugged by Mikan, he didn't want to be barbequed by Natsume's Fire Alice. Gently, he pushed Mikan away and told her to sit down because he was going to talk to them about something important. Mikan went back to her seat, and Narumi sat down beside Natsume. "I'm not going to beat around the bush," Narumi said, clasping his hands on his lap. "The reason why I called you all here is because of Shirasaki Yuki-kun."

Yuka raised a brow. "About Zetsubou-kun?" she muttered, and she could have sworn that she saw Narumi cringed at the name. "Hmm… I was supposed to be meeting him today, but he didn't appear to me when I went to the middle school dorm."

"Shirasaki-kun will be leaving this world today," Narumi said, receiving frantic looks from the two brunettes. "I've already assigned Youichi-kun to send his spirit away. I bet he's on his way here as we speak. I had a hard time convincing Youichi-kun to do it, considering he only listens to you three."

"He's leaving so soon, why?" Yuka muttered, looking a bit shocked. She really didn't want Yuki to leave yet, not after they reconciled and resumed their friendship. She understood that a spirit must rest in peace, but couldn't it wait? She wanted to spend more time with Yuki—even though he was nothing more than a spirit. "And why do you know this, Naru? Did he tell you? When?"

Running his hands through his soft blonde hair, Narumi closed his eyes for a second and opened them again. But his eyes didn't have his original color of amethyst anymore. The color has changed into deep green. When he spoke, he didn't sound like Narumi at all. "All ghosts have unfinished business. That is the main reason why they remain on earth."

Mikan gasped. She pointed a finger at Narumi. "That voice… You're not Narumi-sensei anymore. You're Shirasaki-kun!"

Narumi or more like, Yuki flashed them an elegant smile. "You're correct, Mikan-san," Yuki said. "Although I have completely possessed this body, Narumi is actually conscious inside. He's seeing what I'm seeing right now and listening in on us. Unlike what I did to Hyuuga, this type of possessing is much safer." He looked at Natsume with a grin, and the flame-caster just rolled his eyes away from him.

"Zetsubou-kun, what are you trying to pull?" Yuka said, rising from the couch, as she clenched her fists furiously. "I know you're going to leave this world, but I didn't expect it to be now."

Yuki approached her and held her face between his hands. He tenderly gazed upon her and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. He felt his face flushing up and he smiled when Yuka's face turned red as well. She looked so cute. "In the past, I was driven out of this world by force. I wasn't able to complete my task and I've regretted it," he said in such a smooth voice. "I'm sorry to say this, but thanks to Aya-san I was able to come back to this world and complete my task, which was to see you again. You see, when ghosts have no more reasons to stay in this world, they can finally ascend to heaven. Okay, that probably sounds corny, but you do get the picture." He scratched his head awkwardly as he lightly chuckled to himself.

Yuka's eyes seemed like they were about to sprout tears. "Do you really have to go now?" she asked, lowering her gaze from him. "I mean, can't it just wait? I want to spend more time with you." She knew she was getting emotional. Her strong front was fading. But she was able to keep herself from crying.

"Shirasaki-kun, don't go yet!" Mikan said. "Please stay for a bit longer…Do it for Okaa-san, please…"

Yuki shifted his eyes on the younger brunette and knelt down before her. He placed a hand on top of hers and gave her a smile. "I'm sorry, but I just can't because my time is up." He squeezed her hand gently, and then he sensed Natsume throwing a death glare at his back. Shrugging the feeling off, he caressed Mikan's cheek and wiped away the stray tear that formed in her eye. "Mikan-san, I want to apologize properly for all the things I've done to you. I've let my obsession get the best of me. I've hurt you countless times. I am truly sorry. I want to make it up to you somehow."

"It's all right," Mikan said, smiling back at him. "I've already forgiven you."

"You really don't hold grudges, huh?" Yuki said with a sigh of relief. "You're just like your mother."

"Shira—"

He placed a finger on her lip and shook his head. "Please call me Yuki from now on, Mikan-san," he told her, and Mikan gladly nodded her head. He then stood up and turned to Natsume. "I have to apologize to you as well, Hyuuga. Not only have I took advantage of your girlfriend, but I've also took over your body against your own will." He straightened up and bowed properly at Natsume. "For that, I'm sorry."

Natsume had nothing to say to him. Well, he actually didn't know what to say. He wasn't like Mikan who was forgiving and kind. He can hold grudges and he can seriously have issues with a certain person. The ghost had certainly pissed him off. He sometimes wished he could cream him. However, he wasn't that cold-hearted enough to ignore his apology. Slumping his shoulders, he said, "Fine…Whatever…" in a deep voice.

"You sure are a strange one, Hyuuga," Yuki said. "But I'm glad you're Mikan-san's boyfriend. Please continue to take care of her. If you don't, I'll be back to haunt you." He was half-joking and half-serious with his statement.

Natsume felt a sudden chill going up his spine, but his facial expression remained emotionless. "Tch…You don't have to tell me that," he said. Why does he keep getting threats from people? The inventor-freak, the oddball middle school principal, the two representatives of the Mikan Fan Club, Youichi and many others had told him to protect Mikan at all cost or else he'll suffer the consequences. He knew how important Mikan was to them and he can understand their concerns. But threatening him was way too annoying for him.

Just then, Hijiri Youichi came in, sporting his stoic face as usual and motioned over to Mikan's side. "I'm here, so when do you want me to get rid of the ghost?" he said coolly, looking up at Narumi. With his Alice, he could see the ghostly aura surrounding Narumi's body. He knew that the ghost was inside. "I haven't got all day. I still have something important to do." And that something involved a mission assigned to him. No, it wasn't a dangerous mission. He was just being sent over to someone's house to perform exorcism. It was no big deal for him—even though he was just an elementary school student.

"You-chan, be patient," Mikan said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Let Yuki take his time, okay?" She smiled brightly at him.

Youichi blushed a little and turned his head away. He still had a crush on Mikan. "Whatever…" he muttered under his breath.

Yuki cupped his chin as he looked at the spirit manipulator with keen interest. "This guy acts a lot like Hyuuga. And where have I heard the name Hijiri before?" He tapped his chin with his finger and thought about it long and hard. "I remember now! Hijiri, as in, Hijiri Eichi, the Spirit Manipulation Alice was the one who sent me away in the past!"

"What?" Youichi narrowed his eyes at Yuki. "Hijiri Eichi is my big brother. I never knew he was the one who drove you to the spirit world. He didn't tell me either."

"You-chan, I never knew you had a brother," Mikan said, tugging on his sleeve. "Why didn't you tell me about it?" It wasn't only her who found the discovery striking. Natsume didn't seem to know of Youichi's older brother as well. Up until now, Youichi had always looked up to her and Natsume as his older siblings.

"You never asked…" was Youichi's simple reply.

A stream of sadness shot through Yuki's veins at the mere sigh of Yuka as she sat back down. Her frown kind of stabbed him in the heart. He himself did not want to go, but as a ghost he had no more reasons to stay. If he was alive, then he'll gladly spend the rest of his life with the woman he loved the most. "Azumi-san, Mikan-san, I have something to give you before I go…" he said, walking over to the window. "It's something to remember me by…" He opened the window and on the cue, two mechanical birds came in. One landed on his shoulder. The other one landed on top of Narumi's head.

Mikan and the rest all wondered what kind of birds were they until Yuki explained it to them. Having a genius mind and the Alice of Technopathy, he was able to create two wonderful mechanical birds for Mikan and Yuka. The pink and white bird was based on a Maya bird, while the peach and white bird was based on a Dove. "These are my gifts to you, Mikan-san, Azumi-san," he said. Mikan was so impressed with the inventions and it was clearly seen on her face. Natsume and Youichi remained indifferent. "I hope you'll treasure them."

Yuka approached him and held out her hand. The Dove hopped onto her hand and then to her shoulder. It lightly pecked on her neck, which made her giggle so sweetly. "Your inventions are great as usual, Zetsubou-kun," she said.

"I almost cracked a smile when you complimented me, but you just had to say that nickname," Yuki said in an exasperated tone as he massaged his temples.

Mikan ran up to them, her eyes glued at the Maya mechanical bird. "It's so cute!" she exclaimed. At that moment, the Maya jumped from Narumi's head to hers. "So, you're giving these birds to us? That's so cool!" She was very thrilled about it.

"These birds are very smart and they'll do whatever you tell them to do," Yuki explained, patting the bird on Mikan's head.

"Thank you very much!" Mikan said with a big smile as she hugged Yuki. "I promise that I'll take good care of it."

Yuki placed a kiss on her temple and caressed her cheek. "I know you will," he said. He then turned to Yuka. "It's time for me to go, Azumi-san."

Yuka couldn't keep her emotions inside anymore. Tears streamed down her cheeks in seconds as she lunged forward to hug Yuki. "I'm going to miss you," she whispered, clasping the back of Narumi's shirt.

"I'll miss you too," Yuki replied, pulling back to face her. "Azumi-san, I was wondering if you could do me one last favor."

"Sure, I'll do anything. What is it?" She sniffed back her tears and put on a smile for him. She noticed his cheeks turning red and giggled. And when Yuki whispered his favor in her ear, she froze on the spot and looked at him as if he was a strange being from another planet. "Are you serious?" she muttered, her voice stuttering, and Yuki nodded his head. Yuka thought about it for a while. The favor was easy and rather difficult to do at the same time. But she already said that she'll do anything.

Yuki felt kind of guilty seeing the hesitation in her eyes. "It's all right, Azumi-san. Just forget about it. You might be thinking that I want to take advantage of you." He chuckled to himself.

"No, it's just that…" Yuka thought about her sensei and her romantic moments with him. She wondered if she could do this favor for the sake of Yuki. She wondered if sensei would mind it. Her sensei was a good man. She was sure he would understand the situation. "Zetsubou-kun, t-this is just a once in a lifetime chance, o-okay? I am never going to do it again," she said with a determined face.

"Really?" Yuki had a big smile on his face. "That's great. I didn't think you would agree."

Mikan, Natsume and Youichi were curious about what they were talking about. Mikan was about to ask when Yuki told Youichi to use his Alice on him. Youichi just gave him a callous look before he stood up from his seat. "Are you sure about this?" the young boy said.

"Yeah…You can use it now…" Yuki said, and Youichi began activating his Alice. Yuki then turned to Yuka and cupped her chin with his hand. "This is it, Azumi-san. I'm going away for good. But no matter where I go, I'll always remember you." He could feel his spirit fading little by little.

"I'll never forget you, Yuki," Yuka said, more tears falling from her eyes. It was hard to say goodbye to an important friend. She was glad she was given the chance to share a moment with him. It had been so long.

"I love it when you say my name, Azumi-san," Yuki said, leaning his face closer and closer. Not another second, he pressed his lips lovingly against hers as he closed his eyes. The kiss was not his first one, because he had kissed Mikan first. However, he wasn't depressed about it. He was happy that he was able to share his last kiss on earth with the woman he loved. It was the most wonderful thing for him.

Mikan was very surprised at this, but she didn't make a commotion about it. She figured that the kiss was Yuki's big favor and she was somehow pleased to see them kissed. She remembered the feeling of being kissed by Yuki. He had kissed her roughly most of the time, but there was this one time he had kissed her passionately. She was sure that her mother was enjoying the kiss at the moment. Yuki was a great kisser. This was a fact she'll never reveal to her boyfriend.

For some reason, Yuka's heart felt calm. It didn't pound wildly like it did when she kissed sensei. Still, she was enjoying the kiss nevertheless.

"It's done," Youichi said monotonously. "He's no longer in this world—" He was too busy concentrating on his Alice that he didn't notice his mother and Yuki kissing in the first place. When he saw how passionate they looked, Youichi grew bitter and faked a cough. However, his little action failed to get their attention. It seemed like they were in their own world.

"You-chan, did you just say that Yuki is no longer here?" Mikan asked, as the little bird on her head flapped one of its wings. When Youichi nodded his head in reply, Mikan looked back at Yuka and Narumi and clamped her mouth. "So, this means my Okaa-san is actually kissing Otou-san…?" And by Otou-san, she means Narumi-sensei.

The blonde teacher had regained control of his body. Slowly, he opened his eyes, revealing a pair of amethyst orbs. His eyes widened at the second he laid them on Yuka. He felt his temperature rising and his heart pounding. Without thinking, he pushed himself away from Yuka and panted hard. "Yuka-senpai, I…I didn't mean this…Well…" He was lost for words. Yuki possessed his body last night and asked him for his help. Of course, Narumi complied but he didn't think Yuki would end up kissing Yuka. Wait a sec, it seemed like he and Yuki were the ones who kissed Yuka at the same time. He could say he was lucky, but it was such a surprise for him.

In order not to make things awkward for them, Yuka presented him with a smile and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, I understand…" she said. "There's no need to fret, Naru. I just did Yuki's favor."

"But Okaa-san…" Mikan said, giggling. "You still kissed Narumi-sensei. You two looked like a couple a while ago."

The two adults blushed silently as the two stoic boys rolled their eyes away. There was a moment of peace until Narumi decided to break it. "Shirasaki-kun has finally gone to heaven, huh?" Narumi said. "He caused a lot of trouble. But in the end, he turned out to be a pretty nice guy. I should've let you introduced him to me before."

Yuka turned her head away and crossed her arms. "Well, Yuki refused to see anyone but me in the past," she muttered sadly. "And you were too busy flirting to even pay attention to me when I'm talking about Yuki." She threw the teacher a knowing look, and he just chuckled.

Youichi sighed in frustration and walked up to the door. "Since the ghost is gone, I can finally go," he said, peering over his shoulders to look at Mikan and Yuka. "I'll see you around, Onee-chan, Okaa-san," Youchi then turned to Natsume and continued, "Onii-chan…" Reaching for the knob, he opened the door and stepped out of the room.

"Naru, I'm surprised you were able to convince him," Yuka said.

"Well, I had to use my Pheromones…" Narumi replied uneasily.

"That's so typical of you, Naru."

"I know, Yuka-senpai…"

Mikan and Natsume decided to be on their way. It was getting late and they should be back in their dorms before dark. After excusing themselves from the room, Mikan and Natsume walked through the hallways hand-in-hand, as the little pink and white Maya bird was perched on Mikan's head. Mikan absolutely adored it. The mechanical bird kind of reminded her of Hotaru's inventions; only the bird was made more flawlessly. Hotaru, with the Alice of Invention, had to build things by hand. As she recalled, Yuki had the Alice of Technopathy, which was the ability to control technology with the mind. She guessed that Yuki probably made the birds without any difficulty at all. It was too bad he was gone. She was already missing him. She had long forgotten the bad things he had done.

"You've been awfully quiet," Natsume said casually when they've reached the middle school dorm. It was so unlike his girlfriend to stay quiet throughout the walk. He could tell that she was thinking of something deep. He hoped it wasn't about Yuki.

"Was I?" Mikan looked at him confusingly before she sighed. "I guess I was… I can't stop thinking about Yuki. He's such a nice guy, and Okaa-san really likes him as a friend."

Natsume's eyebrows twitched at the mere mention of Yuki's name. "Stop thinking about him," he muttered, trying to hide his irritation. "He's gone now and he's never coming back. He's finally at peace."

Mikan raised an eyebrow at him. "You sound like you really despised him, Natsume." She positioned her hand by her head, and the bird immediately hopped onto her hand. "I know he was bad at the start, but that was only because the Darkness within him was manipulated."

He had always known how sensitive she was when it comes to other people's feelings. However, she can be so naïve at so many things. She animatedly kept talking about Yuki until they've reached the floor where there rooms were. Growing more jealous, he pinned Mikan against the wall before she could even reach her dorm room door. "You seemed to enjoy being touched by him back at the lounge," Natsume said, grasping her shoulders tight. "And you kept on talking about how great he is, despite the fact he almost raped you. You act like nothing happened between you and him. I know the darkness took over him, but can't you be a little wary of him, Mikan. Normal people would." He looked intensely at her with his furious crimson eyes.

Staying calm, Mikan shoved the mechanical bird under his nose and smiled cheerfully at him. The bird pecked Natsume's nose and hopped onto his head, flapping his wings playfully. "It seems like it likes you too, Natsume," she said. "What do you think I should name it? How about if you think of a name?"

"Don't play innocent with me," he said, a little angrier this time. "Forget the stupid bird and pay attention to me."

"Sure, he almost raped me…Yeah, he hurt me…" Mikan said, maintaining her lovely smile. "But he wasn't to blame for that. I'm fully aware of what happened, but I want to forget it and move on. Yuki had apologized to me, and I accepted it. Now we're friends. It's a happy ending for him. Besides, I know you've forgiven him too. He also said sorry to you."

Natsume placed on hand on his temple. "Damn you…You're just unbelievable…" he muttered with a shrug. "You really are overly optimistic."

"And you're too pessimistic," Mikan added, encircling her arms around his neck. "We're complete opposites. They say opposites attract and it must be true. Look at us, we're a couple!"

At least, much to his relief, she wasn't thinking about Yuki anymore. Her focus was on him and that was what he wanted in the first place. He can't help it if he feels jealous. He was the possessive type of guy. His possession over her had grown over the years. Reasons? One was because there were tons of guys after Mikan. The second one was because the Anti-Alice Organization was after her. Last one was the fact she was the school's most treasured girl. She was just one girl and he has his hands full all the time because of her. "We look like a strange couple thanks to you and your clumsiness," he said, getting her riled up.

"Hey! I am clumsy and I admit it," she said, puffing her cheeks. "But it's not my fault why we look strange. If you could just open up and smile a lot, instead of being Mr. Grouchy all the time, then we wouldn't look strange!"

Mr. Grouchy? Okay, weird name for him, but it does sort of suit him. He was generally moody all the time. "Whatever, polka-dots…Wait, I should call you stripes," he said in a bored tone. He could sense fire burning in Mikan's amber orbs. He knew she was going to call him a pervert and spout insults at him. To stop her, he quickly kissed her on the lips. As usual, she tasted great, tasted like sweet strawberries and she had the scent of sweet tangerines. His hormones were at it again. His body was aching for her. She was too irresistible for him. After minutes of kissing, he pulled back and held her face. "I'll give you something today if you'll let me."

She could tell what was going on in his mind. Lust was clearly seen in his crimson eyes. She wasn't naïve about those things anymore as she had already done it with him twice. At that precise moment, she knew Natsume wanted to do it again. Her brain wanted to refuse him, but her heart was telling her to go for it. The familiar feeling of fear rose up in her heart. She thought about what would happen if her mother accidentally caught them the next morning. However, a part of her, no, not just a part of her trusted Natsume. The moment she untied her tie and unbuttoned a few buttons of her shirt, he was turned on in an instant. She was going to let him have fun tonight.

_To be continued…_

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JC: Okay, that was another long chapter for me. I didn't realize the pages again. All right, Yuki has finally gone to heaven, and everyone can resume their daily lives. I'm sure you guys are aware of the identity of the hooded guy. I did give some hints in the previous chapters. He'll cause some trouble for our favorite couple. If you're wondering about Aya, she is still around. Remember, nobody knows that the silver-haired Aya is actually Sugita Aya, a shy student of the middle school section. She'll appear again in the next chapter. Oh, yeah, the next chapter is about the exams, and the date!! Guess who will spy on Natsume and Mikan. No, it's not Hotaru. She'll appear in Chapter 30.


	29. Just your Average Days

JC: Let's take a break from the heavy drama, action, and fighting. This chapter will feature the date of Natsume and Mikan. I'm happy that many people have come to adore Kyo and Nonoko. Honestly, I love Nonoko to bits. She's as adorable as Mikan-chan. I was planning to give Anna a pairing too. But I like her with Misaki-sensei. I'm weird, right? Well, Anna-chan reminds me of Rika from Card Captor Sakura. Rika has a huge crush on her teacher there. Anyway, I'm sorry if I don't include Hotaru here. She's reserved for the next chapter.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

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**Obsession **

Chapter 29: Just your Average Days

Mikan was sitting cross-legged on the bed, gazing at her history book. She had practically spent two and a half hours studying on history. There were a lot of things to memorize. She had to take note of the exact dates, the names of important people, and the names of places. It was frustrating, but she somehow managed to get the facts inside her head. After history, she proceeded to science next. How she hated physics. The formulas were enough to make her crazy. It was a good thing she asked her good friends Nonoko and Yuu for their notes and pointers. They explained much clearer than the teacher. She spent an hour doing problems and studying on scientific definitions. As she looked at the clock, she realized it was already eleven o'clock. It was only an hour left till midnight and she still wasn't done studying. The exams were tomorrow. She was not too worried about it. She did a lot of studying on the week before, so she wasn't cramming or anything.

"So tiring…" Mikan muttered, stretching out her arms. "I hope the tests are not that difficult." She decided to take a five-minute break before her brain will explode. Getting high marks in the exams was a priority for her. The Honor Student Award was her aim, because it was her ticket to visit her grandfather in her hometown. She had missed her grandfather so much. She did manage to get the Honor Student Award twice and got to visit him a few months ago and the year before, and that was due to her outstanding grades. Sure, she was not a fast learner nor she could comprehend mathematical problems in a flash, but she was a hard worker. People who strived hard always get their rewards in the end.

She sighed and got up to look out through the balcony glass door. The starry sky was beautiful tonight. "I wonder if Natsume is still awake," she said. She had specifically told him not to visit her tonight because she was going to study, and she didn't expect him to actually listen to her. "Natsume would still come despite what I say. Maybe he's just tired…"

A few days ago, they made love again. It was another night of pleasure for the both of them. It always amazed her on how gentle Natsume can be in handling her. He wondered if he was still going to be gentle after they get married. "Being a complete pervert, I doubt it…" she muttered to herself as she shook her head. "The next morning, Okaa-san almost caught us sleeping together. Good thing, Natsume hid under the bed, though it was uncomfortable for him." She giggled at the thought. Natsume came out sweating like a pig after her mother left the room. Truth to be known, Natsume seriously didn't want to get on Yuka's bad side.

Thinking of her mother, she wondered how her mother was doing in Osaka. She had just left the academy two days ago to resume her mission and got a call from her the moment she arrived in Osaka. Yuka had finished her mission with Shiki and Sakurano, but they got assigned to another mission in the same place again. Her mother was back to being busy. It will take a while till she'll see her again, Mikan thought with a sigh. Sometimes, her mother would go to another country to escort an important person. Mikan was assured of her mother's safety because Shiki and Sakurano were with her.

Three knocks came from her door, making her spin around quickly. "Is it Natsume?" she asked, walking to the door. After grasping the knob in her hand, she pulled open the door and saw Andou Tsubasa. "Senpai? What are you doing here at this late at night?" She glanced at the clock again and saw that it was 11:10 PM.

"Just came to see my favorite kouhai," Tsubasa said, taking his hat off. When he went inside, he held out his arms towards her. "Is it wrong to visit? And where's my hug?"

Mikan smiled widely and jumped into his arms, and he straightened, holding her against him. "You're always welcomed here, Tsubasa-senpai!" she said cheerfully. "But I didn't expect any visits at this hour." Well, she was expecting Natsume at least. Still, seeing her senior was good enough for her. She had always adored Tsubasa for his pleasing personality and his good looks. It was no wonder he was extremely popular with girls.

He planted a light kiss on her cheek. "How's the studying coming along, Mikan?" he asked. "I know you want that student award again."

"It's going fine," Mikan said, suddenly shy. The kiss was sweet and it made her blush a little. "Wait, did you just come here to check if I'm doing well in studying?"

He chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Well, that's one of the reasons," he replied. "You know, it's been a while since we last talked to each other privately. You've been busy dealing with problems, the AAO, and Natsume too much, and I've been busy with the Student Council and Misaki." As a Special Star student and representative of the Special Ability Class, he was busy most of the time. Glad he was still able to spend time with his girlfriend, Misaki.

"You're right," Mikan said. "But does it have to be at this time? It's really late, senpai, and most people are asleep by now. And what if you get caught by the dorm head? You'll get in trouble."

Tsubasa winked an eye at her. "I can deal with trouble," he said, releasing her from his arms. He then pulled out small velvet box from his pocket and showed it to Mikan. "My second reason for coming here is to get your opinion on something." He suddenly became a little serious.

"Why don't we sit down and talk?" Mikan cleared the notes and books from her bed and placed them all on the study table. Sitting down, she patted on the space next to her and told her senior to sit down. When he did so, she asked him about the box.

"You can probably guess what's inside, right?" Tsubasa looked at Mikan and saw a confused face. "Or probably not…" Of course, he had not forgotten about her naivety.

"Well, it could be a necklace, bracelet, or ring…" she said, smiling with excitement. "Can you show it to me please?"

Tsubasa nodded his head. He opened the box carefully and revealed a ring. This attractive ring dazzled two beautiful Diamonds prong set in 18K White Gold. Approximate Diamond Weight: 0.66 Carat. "It's an engagement ring," he said as he thought about his one true love, "for Misaki."

Mikan's eyes grew wide at the ring. "It's so beautiful, senpai!" she said. Diamonds were a girl's best friend and no girl could resist such beauty. "You're going to give this to Misak-senpai as a gift? That's so cool! How much did this cost you?"

"It's not just a gift, Mikan, and honestly this cost me a fortune," Tsubasa said with a heartfelt sigh, shifting his eyes on the ring. "It's 214,794 yen, about 2039.25 dollars. With this ring, I'm going to propose to Misaki."

"Propose? You're going to propose to Misaki-senpai? That's…That's wonderful!" Mikan hugged Tsubasa tight. She had been supporting Tsubasa's and Misaki's relationship for a long time and she had always dreamed of them getting married in the future. Proposing to a girl was the first step to marriage, and Mikan felt so excited about it. "I'm sure you'll do fine, Tsubasa-senpai. You're always confident."

Tsubasa closed the box and sighed once again. He had been confident in most things, but this proposal thing was making him hesitant, mainly because of Misaki. "But what if Misaki doesn't accept my proposal? She's not the type to rush things in a relationship. I know we're too young, but I just want us to be engaged. I want everyone to know that she's mine. Well, everyone in the academy knows that, but there are still boys who flirt with her. And I hate it. There's this new guy in class too and he tries to get fresh with her. I can't even leave them alone for one second. I keep telling the guy to keep his hands off of Misaki, but he tells me that he wants her for himself."

Her senior was mostly outgoing and carefree and she would rarely see him getting worked up about something. At that moment, he was exhibiting jealousy. So, all boys have their jealousy side when it comes to their girls. She wasn't sure if she could give some good advice to her senior, knowing how clueless she can be when it comes to love. "Hmm…And you want to put that ring in her finger as your symbol."

"Do you think she'll hate me for this?" Tsubasa asked, his eyes showing nothing but concern. "I mean…I'm not planning on getting married right away. We still haven't graduated yet and we can only leave this academy after turning twenty. I just want to make sure we'll always stay together and I'm sure this ring will help me." He clenched the velvet box a little firmer.

Mikan placed a hand on top of the box and gave him a gentle smile. "She will never hate you, senpai. Misaki-senpai loves you so much. Even without the ring, I'm sure you guys will always stay together." She was rather impressed with the words coming out of her mouth. She was actually making sense about love. Maybe she wasn't as clueless as before. It was probably because she was also in a relationship.

"Thanks, Mikan," Tsubasa said, patting her head like a kitty. "You're always helpful, though a little troublesome at times. But I really appreciate what you said. It kinda takes off some load off my chest." He put on his hat and grinned broadly at her.

"You're welcome, senpai," Mikan replied. "Glad I could help!"

A funny idea suddenly popped out of Tsubasa's mind. Putting away the velvet box back in his pocket, he eyed Mikan for a while and cupped his chin with his hand. "Mikan, here's a question for you. What if I was about the same age as you and I courted you? Would you be my gal or not?"

Mikan was a little surprised by the question and thought about it. After a few seconds, she answered him with a "Yes!" Tsubasa asked her why and she gladly told him her reason. "I developed a crush on you the first time we met, senpai. I actually didn't realize I had a crush on you before. Hotaru told me it was just an innocent crush, but I had no idea! Plus, you're my very first senpai and you've supported me through thick and thin. You also have the face of a movie star, so it's not hard to fall in love with you."

Tsubasa lightly laughed. "I've always known you had a crush on me before," he said. "And I was real flattered."

"Well, I'm happier that you're my senpai and not my boyfriend," Mikan told him. "You're like the brother I never had."

"You're such a good girl." Tsubasa pulled her into a hug, inhaling her sweet tangerine scent. Her scent was alluring and it reminded him of Misaki's strawberry scent. Just then, he felt the temperature rising in the room. His senses were telling him that they weren't alone in the room anymore. Pulling back away from her, he turned his head at the door and saw Natsume. "Crap, when did he get in?" He then noticed the keys in his hand. _Oh, yeah, he has the spare keys to Mikan's room. But did he have to walk in at this time? _He knew he was a goner the minute Natsume narrowed his eyes at him.

"Natsume, you finally came," Mikan said, rising from the bed. "I know I told you not to come because of studying, but I still expected you." She smiled at him, completely oblivious to the murderous aura he was emitting.

Tsubasa scratched the back of his head and stood up. "Hey there—"

Natsume cut him off. "What the hell are you doing here at this hour?" he said in a dangerous tone. He lit up a flame in his palm. "And why were you hugging her? She's not yours, so hands off."

"Chill, Natsume," Tsubasa said, swallowing hard. The hug was a complete misunderstanding. It wasn't as if he was trying to take advantage of Mikan. No, he would never do that. She was his junior for pete's sake. "I came here to talk to her that's all. And the hug? Well, you know how clingy Mikan is to me. You should've gotten used to it by now."

Natsume gritted his teeth. "You're eighteen and she's fourteen. With that age, it's completely wrong." He lit up another flame in his other palm. "And you came here to talk? About what? Answer me properly or else…"

"Just calm down for a sec, Natsume," Mikan said, marching over to him. She activated her Alice and nullified his flames easily. "Listen, Tsubasa-senpai came here to ask my opinion. He's planning on proposing to Misaki-senpai. He even bought a really beautiful ring for her. I just gave him some encouragement."

Tsubasa showed him the ring as a proof, and Natsume just shrugged. "And if you're wondering why at this hour…Well, that's another reason why I'm here…" He motioned over to Natsume's side and placed a hand on his shoulder. Leaning closer to his ear, Tsubasa whispered something very disturbing to Natsume, causing Natsume to almost lose his cold façade. "And now you know…"

"Senpai, what did you just tell him?" Mikan asked curiously.

The senior student turned to look at his junior and winked an eye at her. "It's a guy thing, Mikan," he said. "You don't have to know about it. Well, it's really late. I have to go. We've got tests tomorrow." After saying that, he left the room, closing the door carefully behind him.

"A guy thing?" Mikan had a big question mark above her head. "Natsume, is it really for guys only?"

Her question seemed to snap him back to reality. "Like he said, you don't have to know about it," he replied. He can't possibly tell it to Mikan. Maybe he can, but not at that time.

Mikan yawned, covering her mouth in the process. "I'm getting real sleepy." She took Natsume's hand and dragged him over to the bed. "Sleep with me tonight. I could use someone to wake me up early tomorrow."

Natsume raised an eyebrow, thinking absurdly of her. "What am I? An alarm clock?"

"No, silly," Mikan said with a giggle. "You're way better than my alarm clock." She had to admit that his methods of waking her up was effective than the ringing sound of her alarm clock. But his methods can either be too perverted or just plain wrong. It was going to be a tough day tomorrow. The exams were no walk in the park. She had to do her best in order to achieve the Honor Student Award. She was doing it for the sake of her beloved grandfather.

* * *

The day of the big test had arrived. Mikan had woken up extra early, thanks to Natsume of course, to review her lessons. After taking a short shower, she immediately got dressed, brushed her hair, and prepared her necessary things for the test. She was kind of nervous and excited at the same time. She wished herself good luck before she left the room. Natsume was waiting for her as usual, and after exchanging greetings, more like insults, the two of them headed towards the cafeteria for breakfast. The Special Star breakfast was just delectable. She talked to her friends about the test as she ate, and they all seemed nervous as well. Even Sumire admitted she had a hard time understanding the formulas in physics, but she still got the hang of it. She got to chat with Kyo and Ryou, her two most loyal fans. Kyo was pretty confident about the test, while Ryou was worried about physics.

"I always have a hard time studying," Ryou said, scratching the back of his head, as he played with his chopsticks. "Never seemed to get any information in my head." He chuckled, and some girls just stared at him dreamily.

Kyo rolled his eyes away frustratingly and saw a group of girls making kissy-faces at him at a neighboring table. He simply smiled back at them, making them squeal like a bunch of deranged girls, and shifted his eyes back at Ryou. "You never get any information in your head, because you're just a lazy bum," Kyo said. "If you spend less time flirting and more time studying, I'm sure you'll get good grades."

Ryou clenched his chopsticks firmly to the point he almost broke them. "I would be fine if you'll help me more, Kyo," he muttered with a growl. "Every time we have a study session, you'll always drive me away or make me answer so many difficult questions. I know you're a genius, but can't you be more lenient with me? I am your best friend."

Sipping his orange juice, Kyo let out a sigh and sat the glass back on the table. "You're such a whiner. You annoy me every time we study together. It's only natural of me to drive you away." He looked up at Ryou, throwing him a glare with his heterochromatic eyes. "And I ask you difficult questions to make you learn. What's so wrong about that? At this rate, Ryou, you'll never catch up to me or Mikan-sama."

"Hey, I'm not aiming to be a Special Star or a top student like you," Ryou said before he turned to smile at Mikan. "Don't you think he's being mean to me, Mikan-sama? Kyo always thinks like he's so high and mighty. It's so hard to study with him. I know! How about you and me study together? That'll be great. Mikan-sama is the top student in the middle school division, so I'm sure my grades will be good if I study with you!" After saying all that, he received sharp and deadly glares from half of the boys in the cafeteria. But he was most intimidated by Kyo's and Natsume's eyes. He merely swallowed hard and chuckled to ease his nervousness.

Mikan tapped her chin with her finger, thinking about what Ryou said. "Hmm…Studying together…?" she muttered. She looked up at Ryou again and smiled like an angel. "I'll be glad—" She wasn't able to continue because Natsume covered her mouth with his hand and dragged her away from the cafeteria.

Kokoroyomi and Kitsuneme knew very well why Natsume just did that. At the same time, they both spoke in their usual glee. "Getting possessive again…" The both of them sighed as if they were twins. "Nothing new…Nothing new…"

Anna giggled sweetly as she nodded her head in agreement. "Natsume-kun is always like that," she said. "He can be so scary sometimes. I'm pretty impressed that Mikan-chan is able to put up with him. It's definitely love."

Kyo smacked Ryou's head and said, "Why did you have to go on and say that?" He folded his arms in front as he narrowed his gaze. "And I can't believe you're asking her to have a group study with you. You know very well she won't refuse. But have you forgotten that she has a jealous boyfriend? Do you want to get burned? If yes, then go ahead. I'm not stopping you."

Ryou rubbed the sore part of his head and gave his best friend an apologetic look. "Hey, I was merely joking," he said. "But it would be nice to study with her." He was starting to daydream about Mikan until Kyo smacked him again.

"Nice, huh? I bet you can't even concentrate on the notes if you're in the same room as her. Face it, you'll be distracted all the time."

"Yeah, you're right…" Ryou said with a laugh.

After breakfast, all students went to their respective classrooms and waited for the time. Some reviewed their notes, some talked about their lives, and some just stayed quiet in their seats minding their own business. When the bell rang, everyone sat down in their seats, getting their pens and paper out. The first test was going to be Science. For Mikan's class, it was going to be a tough one. Their science teacher wasn't exactly Mr. Sunshine. He was very strict, but he somehow has soft spot for girls. Well, in any case, the students knew what were coming at them.

The science teacher walked into the classroom, looking cold and stern as usual. He was a man in his mid-thirties with a mean temper. He took one good look at the class as he proceeded to the teacher's table. Not a sound was heard from the students and basically that was what he wanted. Silence was gold for him. To get started, he pulled out a stack of test papers from his bag. "The questions are in these booklets," he said without falter. "Please use a blue or black inked pen. Other colors of pen are not allowed or else it's an automatic zero. Fill out all answers in the answer sheet."

As he started to pass out the tests, he heard Kokoyoromi and Kitsuneme whispered something. He immediately approached them and slammed his palm on their desk. "What garbage are you two whispering about?" he questioned them, seriousness filled in his dark eyes.

Kokoroyomi and Kitsuneme shook their heads in unison and said, "It's nothing, sensei." Honestly, they could really pass as twins. "Sorry for the disturbance." Truth to be known, they were just asking each other about lunch. They didn't expect the teacher to hear them, especially when they were whispering very softly.

"Don't let me catch you whispering to each other during the test or it's suspension for the both of you," the teacher said before he returned to the front. He then pulled out a blue orb and set it on the table. He touched the top of it and it started glowing. "As you all know, this orb neutralizes all Alices within a mile radius, so don't bother using your Alices. You may begin the test. You have approximately one hour and a half to finish it. Make sure you don't stay too long in one number."

Mikan wrote her name on the front of her answer sheet neatly. "I have to do my best," she silently told herself. She opened the questionnaire and glanced at the first page. There were several questions about the different laws of physics. Her lips curved into a smile. She had studied well for the test and she actually knew the answer to most of the questions. She reached for her answer sheet and started writing down the answers on the blanks.

And so, the whole week went like a storm. All students had taken up science, math, and history tests for the first day. It was another hell for them the next day. Literature, English, and Japanese were the second set. On the third day was a bit lighter since it was home economics. The fourth day was more pleasing for students who were physically fit because it was just PE and Alice control test. For the whole week there were no time for fun and excitement. Studying was their priority. Most students always hit the library to study or went back to their dorm rooms after the tests. Besides, they knew what was waiting for them after the tests. A week long vacation! It was also the time where the Honor Students will have a chance to go back to their home and spend time with their family.

* * *

The weather couldn't be more perfect. Winds howled through trees in a refreshing and gentle motion. The stir whipped up eddies of leaves and petals of flowers. Tree limbs shook as if they were dancing to the music of nature. On her own balcony, Mikan enjoyed the Saturday morning breeze, watching the birds flying about in the sky. She had just woken up from her slumber minutes ago and it felt so good to breath in the fresh air. No more tests, no more school work for next week, so it was all fun and relaxation not only for her but also for the rest of the students as well. She leaned on the railings and giggled at the thought of seeing her grandfather again. She did her best in the test, but she can't be too sure if she got top spot.

She walked back in her room, knowing she had to get ready for her date with Natsume. She felt pretty excited. It has been a while since she last went on a date with him. After doing her morning bathroom rituals, she got dressed in a yellow tube top, pink v-neck top with 3/4 sleeves and white lace, and cream layered chiffon mini-skirt. For accessories she put on her favorite Sakura items, the Sakura Sensor pin and the Sakura pendant. She decided to leave her hair down and brushed it nicely. The bag of her choice for the day was a white bag with floral designs. To complete her look, she wore a carnation pink wedge with floral detail. Satisfied with the outfit, she applied lip gloss and powder. After that, she was all set.

Checking the time, she noticed that she still has fifteen minutes to get to the bus stop. She was sure Natsume was already waiting for her there, since he was the type to be early all the time. Leaving her room, she pranced along the hallways and hummed a lovely tune. When she reached the ground floor, she spotted Kyo and Ryou having a conversation by the doorway. She walked up to them and greeted them cheerfully, and the two fans were astounded as they looked at her.

Ryou was almost close to drooling. "Mikan-sama, you look gorgeous!" he said in his fan-boy mode. "I love what you're wearing. It suits you."

Mikan let out a sweet giggle. "Thank you," she said. "I'm glad you like it. I hope Natsume will like it as well." Knowing her boyfriend, he would rather insult her than compliment her. She would only hear him say nice things rarely, but she knew how much he loved seeing her in cute outfits.

"So, you're going on a date with Hyuuga," Kyo said, an idea striking his head. "That's good. Have fun with him, Mikan-sama."

She nodded her head. "I will!" she said excitedly. "I'll see you later, Kyo-kun, Hibiki-kun!" Waving her hand at them, she walked away as quickly as possible. There were only ten minutes left on the clock. She had to get to the bus stop on time or else Natsume would scold her for being late.

"I envy that Hyuuga," Ryou said, placing both hands behind his head, as he leaned against the door. "He gets to date such a beautiful girl like Mikan-sama. You know, it makes me wanna spy on their date, but Hyuuga will probably kill me if he sees me." He let out an awkward laugh before the turned to his best friend. He noticed the mischievous look in Kyo's heterochromatic eyes. He knew that look. It could only mean one thing. Kyo has an idea.

"Then let's go spy on them, shall we?" Kyo said, smirking at Ryou. "While we're at it, let's play some tricks on Hyuuga. Of course, it's not to ruin their date or anything. Let's just tease the guy a bit. What do you say, Ryou?" He slightly raised a fist.

Ryou liked what he was thinking and immediately agreed. He locked his own fist with Kyo's and grinned widely. "This is going to be fun," he said.

Five minutes left. Mikan was going to make it. The bus stop was already in sight. Leaves of the colors red and gold swirled down from high above her as she stomped through piles of leaves on the path. When she had reached the bus stop, she stood by the sign and looked around. It was weird. Natsume was not yet around. Wondering if he was late or not, she paced back and forth, as people looked at her as if she was crazy. Well, some boys can't help staring at her, especially her creamy legs, but Mikan was oblivious to the admiration she was getting.

One guy, who happened to pass by, had intentions of flipping her skirt up. Before he could even lay one finger on Mikan, his sleeve started burning. Shocked, he ran away to find the nearest water source right away in panic. Mikan was too busy thinking about Natsume to even notice what happened behind her. The one responsible for the fire was wearing a dark-blue shirt with 'Bad Boy' printed on it, black jacket and jeans, and for footwear he wore a pair of black Nike shoes. He approached Mikan and lightly hit her head with his fist. "Why are you spacing out at a place like this, polka-dots?" he said casually.

Mikan smiled at the sound of his voice. "Natsume!" She immediately spun around and gave him a hug. "It's good that you're here! For a minute there, I thought you weren't coming. Why are you late anyway?"

Natsume shrugged as he glared down at her. He would not miss the date for anything. "I'm not late," he muttered. "I've arrived here 15 minutes ago. You're the one who's late by thirty seconds."

"What? You counted it?!" Mikan was rather surprised that he would care to keep in-check with the time. "Well, I'm not really late. It's just thirty seconds."

He rolled his eyes away. "Whatever…You're still late," he said nonchalantly, and Mikan just pouted. As she pulled herself away from him and turned to look at the incoming bus, he took the opportunity to gaze upon her. He had always found Mikan to be undeniably stunning in any outfit she wore. The one she was wearing was exceptionally cute on her and he loved how much skin she was showing. However, some ill-mannered guys around can't help but look at her. She was a complete head-turner. And when he heard some guy whistling like a wolf at Mikan, he immediately draped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her closer. This was one way to show them that she was his alone.

The bus had finally arrived and the couple boarded the vehicle along with other passengers. They took a seat at the second to the last seat to the right. Mikan sat by the window while Natsume kept his arm around her. During the ride to Central Town, Natsume happened to make eye contact with an old lady sitting on the seat to the left of the same row.

The old lady gave him a gentle smile. "My, you're fine-looking young man," she said. "Is that your girlfriend?"

Mikan was watching the view of the outside, thinking about happy and exciting things about their date. Natsume simply glance at her briefly before he turned back to the old lady. "She is…" he answered.

"I was observing her at the bus stop," the old lady said, putting on a concerned look. "She is a lovely young lady. I'm sure she will bloom into a lovelier flower some day. And she seems so nice. Young man, tell me, do you love her with all your heart?"

Natsume didn't want to say it out loud, but it would be rude not to answer the old lady. Without a sound, he simply nodded his head as an answer. Of course, he loved Mikan more than anything else. She was irreplaceable in his heart.

"You may not look like it, but you're actually one shy fellow," the old lady said with a giggle. "Do continue to protect her like what you did at the bus stop. You will continue to face obstacles in life, but I'm sure someday you two will be a happily wedded couple."

He was happy to hear such words, but he maintained his stoic face. Feeling a tug on his sleeve, he turned to Mikan who was pointing at some floating balloons in the sky. She even had a big smile on her face. Honestly, his girlfriend can be such a child, and he sometimes doesn't hesitate to spoil her. She was too hard to resist anyway. And when they've arrived at Central Town, Mikan childishness became more obvious as she started pulling him out of the bus in a hurry. Natsume bid the old lady a silent goodbye and thanks by merely bowing his head a little and left the bus with Mikan.

Mikan released his arm and twirled around to face him. "We're finally here!" she exclaimed, flailing her arms up high. "Where do you want to go first, Natsume? The arcade? The candy shop? Boutiques?"

Natsume grunted and placed a finger on her lips to stop her from talking. "You're annoying," he said. "If you want me to enjoy, try to be less loud. It's already embarrassing enough for me to stand beside an immature girl like you." Again, he didn't hesitate to insult her totally.

However, Mikan was so used to his attitude that she didn't get angry at him. "Don't be a kill joy now, Natsume," she said in a lively tone. "We're here to have fun!" She started dragging him to the first boutique she spotted without giving him the chance to reply. She knew he would just complain to her.

As they went inside the boutique, an attendant welcomed them with a smile. "Good morning, madam, sir," she said. "We have a fine selection of clothing. If you'd like, I would recommend you to some of the trendiest clothes here."

Much to Natsume's dismay, Mikan had spent an hour and a half fitting tons of clothes. Shopping with girls could be such a drag, and as a guy, Natsume was completely bored while he waited for Mikan to finish. He did enjoy seeing Mikan in different kinds of outfits, especially the sexy ones, but he didn't give much of a compliment to her. Mikan had picked three new clothes to buy, and when she was about to pay for them, Natsume gave his credit card instead.

"Natsume, I could've paid for them," Mikan said, taking out her own credit card from her blue wallet with pink cherry blossom patterns on it. "I have money too."

The attendant gave him back his credit card after swiping it and the plastic bag with the purchased clothes. "You're not going to spend anything for this day," he said, seriousness present in his voice. "So, don't worry about a thing." He grabbed her wrist and dragged her out of the boutique.

Mikan sighed and hugged her handbag with one hand. "But I feel bad about this…" she said. "Don't you think it's unfair if you're the only one spending?"

"It's fine with me," Natsume said, clamping one hand on her shoulder, making her look up at him. "I want this day to be perfect for you, so I'll do the paying. Just feel flattered than I'm doing this for you."

Mikan's lips curved into a smile. "Natsume…" she muttered sweetly as she touched his hand on her shoulder. "You're such an unpredictable guy. Thank you for doing this." She embraced him for a short while before she stood beside him and held his hand. She looked up at him, her eyes softening, and smiled gracefully.

"Let's not waste time anymore," he said coolly as he gently squeezed her hand.

The two of them continued their romantic date for the rest of the morning. Unknown to them, two fan boys were actually spying on them. Kyo and Ryou had deliberately followed them everywhere they went. Thanks to the 'Invincible Bracelets' Kyo borrowed from his sister, they were able to follow the loving couple in stealth. Seeing Mikan clinging to Natsume all the time made them a little jealous. Ryou wished that he was Natsume at the moment, and Kyo didn't give a damn about Ryou's fantasies. At lunch time, Kyo saw the couple going into McDonalds. This time, Kyo decided to spy on them by blending in with the crowd. It was a good thing he also brought the 'Compact Appearance Changer' of his sister. The device allows them to change their appearance in a flash with one press of a button.

"I've just though of something," Ryou said, pointing at the device. "What the hell did you do to convince your sister to lend you her stuff?"

Kyo sweat dropped and laughed awkwardly. "Well, I actually just…erm…"

Ryou narrowed his hazel eyes at his best friend. "You stole them, didn't you?" he said in an accusing tone, as Kyo grinned. "Asuka is so going to kill you, you know."

"I didn't actually steal them," Kyo said, scratching the tip of his nose with his finger. "I just borrowed them without her permission."

"That's still stealing!!" Ryou shouted.

Kyo knew it was stealing and he knew he was going to be murdered once his sister finds out. Well, he just has to return the items before she finds out. That was what he was going to do to avoid the wrath of her paper fan. "Anyway, let's continue our spy work," he said, pressing a button on the compact. In an instant, he quickly changed into a 10-year old boy with matching blue-shirt, black pants and rubber shoes. He looked at himself, smiling in satisfaction, and then handed the compact to Ryou.

Ryou was rather surprised with Kyo's appearance, and he wondered if he should change into a kid as well. After giving some thought, he decided to change into an adult. He modified the settings, but he pressed one button by mistake. He was able to change his appearance, but not the one he desired. In actuality, he changed into a 16-year old high school girl.

"What have you done to yourself?" Kyo said, laughing and pointing at Ryou. He couldn't believe that Ryou would be clumsy enough to turn himself into a girl. But he had to admit that Ryou turned out to be a beautiful girl. He or rather, she now had silky long dark hair with green highlights, sharp hazel eyes, a curvaceous body, and long slender legs. And as a girl, he was wearing a black denim tube blouse, overlapped with a black denim jacket, and tight boot-legged jeans, and black high-heeled sandals.

The guy who was now a girl checked his reflection at a nearby shop and paled at what he saw. "How did this happen?!" he exclaimed in a girly voice. "What the?! My voice changed too!" It was a high-pitch one too. Man, it wasn't his day. It was embarrassing for a popular guy like him to change into a girl.

Kyo couldn't stop laughing at him. It was too funny. His best friend was known to be a playboy who likes flirting with women all the time, and now he was one. "Ryou, you better calm down," he said, trying to stop his laughter. "I know you're upset about this, but this is your fault."

"Don't rub it in!" Ryou said with a sigh. "This is such a drag, man. I want to change." He modified the settings again on the compact.

"Stop it!" Kyo swiped the compact away from Ryou and hid it in his pocket. "No more changing. Just be satisfied with the way you look now. Remember, we're here to spy on Mikan-sama and Hyuuga." He stifled back his laughter.

"But I don't want to be a girl," Ryou said, acting all girly like, as he touched his breast. He was still a pervert. "Man, these things are pretty heavy." And he was referring to his breasts. The device was an ingenious invention all right. His bust size was D-cup and they were awfully soft. He kind of liked groping them.

Kyo flushed red. "You perverted moron, stop fondling!" He swiftly kicked Ryou in the shin, making him hop around in pain. "We've got more important things to do."

Mikan and Natsume were already eating their food. Mikan was having a spaghetti meal with iced tea, while Natsume was having a large cheeseburger, fries, and soft drink. Mikan kept a steady conversation about her grandfather. She really wished to see him again. She was also planning to buy the old guy a gift later just in case she gets the Honor Student award again. If not, then she could just mail it. Sipping her drink, she noticed two people coming into the restaurant. A ten-year old boy with platinum-blue hair caught her eye. She didn't know why but she felt like she knew the boy. She observed the boy and the lady with him ordering food at the counter.

"Don't you think he's cute?" Mikan said, as the boy reached into his pocket to grab money. She didn't know why the boy had to pay for his companion as well. It should be the senior who should treat the junior. "But that girl is also beautiful. They're a pair of unfamiliar faces."

Natsume took a bite of his burger before turning to the people she was looking at. Seeing the platinum-blue hair reminded him of Kawashima Kyo right away—even the hair style was similar. Shifting his view to the high school girl, he heard her referring to herself as 'Ore' when she talked to the boy. It was strange. Girls normally wouldn't refer to themselves 'Ore' because it's a manly term to refer to oneself. And the dark-haired girl didn't look like a tomboy either.

After paying for the food, Ryou and Kyo headed towards the table right beside the couple's. When they neared Natsume, Kyo pretended to nag Ryou and knocked the tray of food away. Kyo made it seemed like it was an accident as the tray landed on Natsume. Ryou had no idea that Kyo would do such a thing, and he was beginning to feel nervous. "I-I'm…I'm so sorry about that!" he said, bowing his head at Natsume.

"Natsume, are you all right?" Mikan asked, taking out her handkerchief.

Natsume wasn't hurt or anything, but he was real pissed. Two cups of soft drinks got spilled on him, and one cup was sitting on his head upside down. Fries were scattered on his clothes, and two burgers were on his lap. Because of the drinks, he was feeling sticky. He shot a glare at the high school girl and clenched his fist.

_Oh, man, he's angry…This is Kyo's fault! _Ryou kept on bowing like an idiot. "I'm so sorry. My junior was pretty clumsy. He didn't mean to." He shoved Kyo in front of him and forced him to bow. "Come on, you should say sorry as well."

Kyo wanted to laugh at Natsume, but he kept his cool and pretended that he was just a mere child doing foolishness. "I'm sorry, Nii-san," he said.

"Natsume, they're saying sorry," Mikan said, sensing Natsume's rage inside. She stood up and went to his side to wipe his face. "Don't get mad at them, please… It was just an accident."

The flame-caster sighed in frustration. "This is nothing," he said, rising up from his seat. "I need to go to the bathroom." Without much fuss, he walked away from the table and headed towards the comfort room.

Kyo sat down beside Mikan and put on a worried face. "Nee-chan, I'm sorry for what I did to Nii-san," he said. "But Nii-san looks very angry. He's pretty scary."

Mikan uneasily smiled at the young boy. "Yeah, he is scary, but he's really a nice guy," she said. "Don't worry about him. A little thing like that is not enough to get him angry." And then she noticed the boy's eyes. The boy had heterochromatic eyes. One eye was crimson and the other one was green. Those eyes and the hair reminded her of Kyo.

Kyo figured it was time to scram before Natsume comes back. He walked over to his female companion and held her hand. "Sorry again for the trouble, Nee-chan," he said. "I think we have to eat at some other place, right Ryouko-senpai?" He smiled innocently at Ryou.

Okay, what did Kyo just call him? Ryouko-senpai? That was the female version of his name. He had the urge to strangle Kyo, but he maintained his calmness. "Um…Yeah…Let's go now," he said as he came up with a name to call Kyo, "Ka-chan…" He just shortened Kyo's surname, Kawashima.

"Ka-chan??" Kyo muttered, raising a brow.

"What a cute name, Ka-chan!" Mikan said, giggling sweetly, and Kyo just blushed.

_That nickname is ridiculous. _Kyo wanted to hit Ryou so much. "Okay, let's go!" he said in a controlled voice as he hauled Ryou out of the restaurant. He brought Ryou to an alley and kicked him again in the shin. "What kind of name is Ka-chan?! Can't you at least give any decent name?!" Kyo ran his hand through his hair in aggravation.

"Well, the name you gave me isn't so great either," Ryou said, placing his hands on his waist. "Ryouko-chan, huh? You've gotta be kidding me?! That's a girl's name!"

Kyo grew more irritated. He pulled out the compact and changed into his original form again. "I called you Ryouko because you're a girl at this moment, you dumbass!" He smacked Ryou and sent him flying across the alley. "Sheesh…If I called you by your name or a guy's name, Mikan-sama would have been suspicious of us."

Ryou wasn't listening anymore, because he was barely unconscious as he lay on a pile of garbage. His vision was spinning. It was only after Ryou poked his temple that he snapped back. "Kyo!" He grabbed Kyo by the collar and stared angrily at him. "Did you have to hit me?! Don't you know that hitting a girl is a serious offense," he exclaimed.

"Yeah, right…As if you're a girl, stupid," Kyo said, changing Ryou back to a guy with the invention. "Come on, we have more spying to do. It's fun to annoy Hyuuga a lot."

Ryou smirked and got back to his feet. "You got that right," he said, brushing off some dirt from his clothes. "Where do you think they'll go next after lunch? Movies perhaps or the arcade?"

"I don't know," Kyo replied. "But we'll continue to follow them wherever they go."

* * *

For the rest of the day, Natsume had encountered unfortunate events during the date. He was glad Mikan was having a good time and nothing bad was happening to her, but he was seriously annoyed with the bad luck he was having. Soft drinks and food were spilled on him during lunch, his ice cream had mysterious disappeared after giving Mikan hers, he almost got hit by a flying metal pipe which appeared out of nowhere, and whenever he gets intimate with Mikan, something will disturb their moment. How can such bad things keep happening to him? He was thinking that someone might be pulling a prank on him. He hasn't seen anyone following them. With his keen senses, he should have detected anyone suspicious.

As they entered the park, a pink ball came out of nowhere and hit his head hard. Crouching, he rubbed his poor head and muttered some silent curses in his head. Okay, he was definitely a bad-luck magnet for the day. Why does it keep happening? Did someone curse him?

"Are you all right, Natsume?" Mikan asked, kneeling down to his level, as she touched his head. "What happened?"

Natsume rose up and picked up the pink ball. "Someone threw this stupid ball at me," he growled, looking around to see the one responsible. He saw children playing at the playground, some couples minding their own business and kids roaming around with skateboards. None of them seemed to be the owner of the pink ball. It suddenly reminded him of the time when Youichi and Mikan kissed. The ball actually caused them to kiss, and it looked like it was the same ball as before. Coincidence? He doubted it.

"I wonder whose ball is that," Mikan said, poking the pink ball.

"I could care less about this stupid ball," he muttered, carelessly throwing the ball away towards the trees. "Let's go…" He took Mikan and went out of the park.

The ball Natsume threw bounced from branch to branch and landed on Ryou's head by accident. "Ouch!" Ryou exclaimed, grabbing the ball and attempting to rip it apart. "Why did this ball have to hit me?!"

Kyo took the ball away from Ryou. "Idiot, don't mess with it!" he exclaimed. "It doesn't even belong to you." He then handed the ball over to the owner who was standing right next to him.

The owner was a young middle school girl with big brown eyes. Her shoulder-length dark hair was tied in a half-ponytail with a blue ribbon. She was clad in a simple long sleeved baby-blue buttoned dress that reached up to her knees and white ankle-length boots. From her innocent-looking face and her timid behavior, one can definitely tell that she was a kind girl. Yup, she was none other than Sugita Aya, another avid admirer of Mikan. She was shopping for new ribbons in Central Town when she spotted Ryou and Kyo spying on Mikan and Natsume. She immediately knew who they were because Kyo and Ryou were famous around the academy. She thought they were planning to ruin the date, so she sneaked up on them. Even though she was shy, she didn't hesitate to tell them to stop following the couple.

In order to clear up things, Kyo took the liberty of explaining things well to Aya. He then asked her to join their little spy work, in which she agreed upon, and ended up throwing a ball at Natsume. Truth to be known, at the Alice Festival, she was also the one who threw the ball at Youichi, but it wasn't on purpose.

"We better go before we lose sight of them," Kyo said, walking out of the bushes only to bump into Ogasawara Nonoko. His collision with her caused her to lose balance. Luckily, he was fast enough to catch her hand. "Ogasawara-san, I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to bump into you like that." He spoke politely to Nonoko.

Ryou and Aya decided to stay hidden from view so they could watch Kyo and Nonoko. "Let's see what Kyo will do now that Ogasawara Nonoko is here," he said, rubbing his chin, as he put on a sly look. "This is such an unexpected meeting. It seems like we're going to stop spying on Mikan-sama and Hyuuga."

"Is that so?" Aya tilted her head in confusion. "Um…Hibiki-san, is Kawashima-san and that girl close?"

"You could say that…" Ryou has not heard anything yet about Kyo's real feelings towards Nonoko. But he could sense that Kyo was slowly falling for Nonoko. "What do you think, Sugita? Do they make a good couple?"

Aya nodded her head with a smile. "Although I don't know them much, I do think they will make a good couple. I've heard that Kawashima-san is a gentleman. I'm sure he'll take good care of her when they'll become an item." She hugged her ball like a teddy bear as she giggled.

Kyo and Nonoko have engaged in a pleasant conversation. The two of them seemed to be in their own world. Nonoko would blush every now and then, especially when Kyo laughs and smiles at her. Ryou decided to leave the two, so he dragged Aya and himself out of the park quietly. "Since Kyo is going to be busy, why don't you and I spend some time together?" he asked Aya as he winked an eye.

"Well…I…d-don't…know a-about that…Hibiki-san…" Aya was stuttering badly. She wasn't used to having a boy she barely knew talking to her so casually. Not only was he inviting her to go out with him, his positively attractive charms was causing her to be nervous.

Ryou patted her shoulder and smiled handsomely at her. "Come on, Sugita, I won't bite," he said. "I promise to take you back to the dorm before dark. What do you say?" He considered Aya to be really cute, so it would be great to spend time with her. Ryou would date any cute and beautiful girls out there.

_To be continued… _

* * *

JC: Oh, wow… I'm pretty tired after writing this. My eyes feel like they want to fall out. School is already hell. I'm currently taking up a double major course. Pressure is getting to me already. That's a life of a student. So, how was this chapter? It's pretty light for now. It will take a while till the plot thickens again. The characters deserve a break. Kyo and Ryou were just fooling around with Natsume. At least, they didn't try to ruin the date totally. Kyo and Nonoko would have their moments in the next chapter. Another thing to be pointed out here is Tsubasa. You're probably wondering what he told Natsume. Feel free to guess. He will have a serious talk with Natsume in the next chapter. Finally Hotaru will return. Please review. No flaming.


	30. Discovered Secret

JC: Chapter 30!! Wow, I've finally reached 30 chapters. I'm so happy. Okay, this is the chapter where Hotaru will return, though she won't do much here. Nonoko and Kyo will have their little spotlight. Another thing to look forward to is the talk between Tsubasa and Natsume. This is going to be good, I swear. Read and enjoy the story. Don't forget to review in the end.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 30: Discovered Secret

Strange. After they left the park, nothing weird was going on anymore. There were no more mishaps and disturbances. Natsume wasn't so sure if he could consider what happened earlier as mere coincidences. However, he was relieved to see that there was nothing coming in between him and his girlfriend. At the moment, he was standing by a post, as Mikan had fallen in line in front of the candy shop. Their date was coming to an end, and Mikan always saw to it that she would have a box of Fluff Puffs to take home with her. Fluff Puffs were Mikan's favorite candy. Well, Natsume wasn't into sweet things that much, but he had to admit that Fluff Puffs were good. Of course, the money Mikan was going to spend for the candy was his. He made sure that all expenses for the date were paid by him—even though Mikan tried to protest.

After minutes of waiting, Mikan had finally bought a box of Fluff Puffs and came to him with a big smile on her face. Natsume shrugged and rolled his eyes away. "Can we go now?" he said, tossing the paper bag with the newly purchased clothes in it over his shoulders. "I got bored waiting." He was also a bit tired. If he wasn't struck by bad luck all day, he would still have the energy.

Mikan sensed the annoyance in his voice. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," she said, entwining her hand with his. "I just can't resist Fluff Puffs. You know that, right?"

"You're gonna get fat if you eat too much." Although Natsume had said that several times already, Mikan never seemed to gain weight after eating too many sweets. Her sexy figure, which was the envy of most girls, would still be the same. "And don't go complaining to me if you get a toothache."

She let out a giggle and hugged his arm tighter. "It's doesn't matter if I get fat. I know you'll still love me no matter how I look." She was right about that fact. Natsume can spout unnecessary things from his mouth, but he doesn't usually mean them. Mikan was used to his way of talking anyway. "Let's stop standing here and go. I'm sure the bus will be arriving any minute now."

Before they could move a step, someone called out Mikan's name, making the brunette turned to the direction of the voice. Once she saw her two favorite seniors from the high school division, she released Natsume's arm and ran towards them in a flash. "Tsubasa-senpai! Misaki-senpai!" she uttered, giving both of them a hug at the same time.

"I knew it was Mikan the minute I saw your back," Misaki said. She was wearing a white tank-top overlapped with a white-pink hoodie jacket, cream short shorts with lace belt, and a pair of cream-colored converse sneakers along with ankle length leg warmers. She glanced at Mikan from top to bottom and cupped her chin with a cunning smile. "Chibi, you're real sexy today. Since Natsume's with you, I'm guessing that this is a date, right?"

Mikan nodded her head. "It's been a long time since we last dated, so I'm really happy today," she told them, her lips graced with a charming smile. "Natsume and I had the time of our lives." She had no idea about the misfortunes Natsume encountered during the whole day.

The other senior was clad in a blue t-shirt with dark-orange linings, blue denim pants, and wore a grey hat and a pair of dark-blue rubber shoes. Tsubasa had a carefree smile on his face when he teased Mikan, but his expression immediately turned a little serious when he saw Natsume approaching them. Placing a hand on Misaki's shoulder, he gave her the look. Misaki understood what it meant and gave a nod in response. Afterwards, Misaki asked Mikan if she could come with her to the boutique across the street. Misaki had to take Mikan away for a while, so Tsubasa could have a one-on-one talk with Natsume. It was really important. And when Mikan agreed, Misaki didn't think twice about dragging her to the boutique right away.

"Natsume, do you still remember what I said to you a few days ago?" Tsubasa started, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He was not being the usual happy-go-lucky Tsubasa. He was a bit different. "I know you do and I hope you thought of a good explanation." He then told Natsume to follow him and began walking away.

He had not really thought about what to say to Tsubasa about the certain matter he brought up. As he followed to Tsubasa to a secluded place in the park, Natsume knew that Tsubasa was not going to let him off easily.

Tsubasa first heaved a big sigh as he removed his hat. His back facing Natsume, he lowered his gaze on the ground and raked his hand through his hair. "Natsume, can you tell me how old you are?" he asked, and Natsume just kept quiet. "I asked you a question, Natsume, so answer it." There was nothing but seriousness in his voice. He was not in the mood for Natsume's rude comments and silence.

"Fourteen," Natsume reluctantly answered.

He crinkled his hat in his hands and asked another question. "How old is Mikan?"

"Fourteen."

Once again Tsubasa sighed. "Too young…" he muttered as he slowly turned around to face Natsume. A deep frown was present on his face and his eyes did not have their usual glint of glee in them. In other words, Tsubasa was upset. "You guys are too young, so why did you do it? No, I should be addressing this problem only to you, Natsume. I know Mikan is too innocent to even think of doing it. You did something to convince her to sleep with you, right? You've always been harassing Mikan since ten and you've reached to the point where you can't control your stupid hormones anymore."

Tsubasa had found out about their little secret, much to Natsume's dismay. He wondered how he found out. He and Mikan had never told a soul about their love-making. Sure, Mikan can be a blabbermouth sometimes, but she would never expose an important secret—even if it means risking her life for it. "Andou, it's none of your—"

"It is my business, because Mikan is my junior! Natsume, don't you dare try to talk your way out of this. I want an explanation and I want it now. Do you have any idea of what you did? You're lucky that only Misaki and I were the ones who found out," Tsubasa blurted out, throwing his hat on the ground. A week before the exams, when Mikan managed to doze off in the Special Ability Classroom, Tsubasa tried waking her up because he needed to borrow a pen from her. Since she wouldn't wake up, Tsubasa decided to get the pen himself. He opened Mikan's bag and rummaged through her stuff quietly. What he got his hands on at the bottom of the bag was not a pen. It was something else. As he pulled it out, his eyes grew wide in an instant. It was a small vial of birth-control pills. "I found pills in her bag the other day. I got suspicious because of it and did a little investigation with Misaki's help. We monitored your nightly visits to Mikan's room secretly. We noticed that you often spend the night with her, so the chances of you two doing it was high."

There was no use denying it. Natsume had done it thrice with Mikan already, so he didn't bother making up lies for Tsubasa. He was caught and there was nothing he could do about it. "So much for being secretive," Natsume said coolly, looking at Tsubasa straight in the eye. "You're right. Mikan and I had made love already, but I have never forced myself on her. She did it with me willingly." There was no falter in his voice. Natsume was speaking the truth.

Tsubasa scratched his head in frustration with one hand as he clenched the other. "Damn, what if she'll get pregnant?!" he asked, marching over to Natsume and grabbing him by the collar. "What if the administration finds out about this? Natsume, I'm pretty sure you two have done it more than once. To do more would be reckless."

His face unchanging, Natsume batted Tsubasa's hands away. "I'll take full responsibility for her," he said with a hint of sincerity in his voice. "And I won't let the administration know of this. You better shut your mouth about this as well."

"I'll keep this matter quiet to the school, but I can't just settle down and do nothing." Tsubasa massaged his temple the minute he felt like getting a headache. "And I thought I was rushing things with Misaki. Natsume, let me remind you of what the administration can do to you, just in case you forgot. They won't hesitate to set you and Mikan apart. I'm sure you don't want to stop being her bodyguard. There are also her chances of getting an Honor Student Award going down the drain. Another thing that's bothering me here is the fact that you two are so young! Natsume, you and Mikan are just fourteen."

Yeah, Natsume was aware of the age, and it was considered to be wrong to have sex early. But, for him, none of it was wrong. It was an act based on love and affections. Natsume and she were not able to contain their innermost desire, which was the reason why they didn't hold back at each other.

"I know complaining about it isn't going to bring back time," Tsubasa said, looking randomly at a tree, as a slight wind passed by. "I can't change what has already happened, but I can give you a fair warning, Natsume. Don't ever make Mikan regret loving you. You two are already bound with one another. I know you know what I mean."

Of course, Natsume knew what he meant. He also understood why Tsubasa was frantic over such a problem. Tsubasa had cared for Mikan so much, and it was natural for the senior to be protective of his junior. "Tch…I really hate this kind of talk," Natsume muttered, smirking arrogantly at Tsubasa. "Andou, do you really think I would hurt Mikan? You know what I feel about her, so stop doubting me. It's annoying. Rephrase that…You're annoying."

Tsubasa glanced back at the young lad and saw the smirk on his face. "You idiot…I let you have Mikan because I trust you." He walked over to his previous spot and picked up his hat from the ground. "So, don't do anything to break that trust, Natsume. Make sure you'll keep her out of trouble. Your little secret should be a secret as long as you're here in this academy."

"Fine…Whatever…" Natsume said nonchalantly, and Tsubasa shot him a glare. Okay, Natsume got a little intimidated, but he maintained his stoic expression.

The senior brushed off imaginary dusts from his hat and put it back on his head. "Natsume, you're younger than me but you're way more aggressive as a guy," he said, putting on his cheerful front again. "I don't think I can do it with Misaki until we get married. You can't even lay one finger on her without her permission or else she'll beat you to a pulp. I think Misaki is a great girl, but you're pretty lucky that your girl is a gentle soul."

With Mikan as his girlfriend, Natsume felt like he was the luckiest guy alive. "And that girl is mine, so try keeping your hands off of her," he demanded coldly. "I don't care if you're her senpai. I just don't want you touching her."

Tsubasa shook his head as he chuckled. "Idiot, what makes you think I'll listen to you?" he said. "Don't get so obsessive. It's not good for ya." He grinned widely before he spun on his heels. There was nothing more to say to Natsume. He had said what he needed.

* * *

After having a wonderful time together, Kawashima Kyo escorted the chemist girl back to the middle school dorm. . Meeting her at Central Town was a total coincidence. He was happy and satisfied with their little date. It was only a date between friends, but he considered it to be a special one. He was sure that Nonoko felt the same way. Just before separating with her, Kyo gave Nonoko a silver bracelet with small blue gems. It was not the expensive kind, but it was definitely cute. He bought it when they went to the some stalls at Central Town and thought it would look good on her. He took the liberty of placing it around her wrist and kissed her hand afterwards. He was like a prince in a fairy tale.

"Kawashima-kun…" Nonoko was blushing madly. Her heart was beating in a swirling motion. She glanced at the bracelet for a brief moment and looked up at Kyo. She gave him a shy yet warm smile. "Thank you, Kawashima-kun. But why are you giving me this?" She would also like to add 'Why did you kiss my hand?' to that.

Kyo scratched the back of his head, slumping his shoulders a little bit, as he chuckled. "You don't need a reason to give someone a gift," he explained, his heterochromatic eyes fixed on the bracelet, "especially if that someone is close to you."

The heartbeat increased more and more in a fast pace. She was sure her face was as bright as a bulb already. Kyo actually considered her as someone close to him! She was so glad to hear that. It made her want to jump around in joy. She had a date with Kyo for the whole afternoon and got a bracelet from him. How lucky she was to encounter Kyo in Central Town. She wished to tell Kyo about her feelings at that moment. However, the fear of rejection was there. She was aware of Kyo's deep admiration for Mikan, knowing how dedicated he was as a fan club representative. Although Kyo's feelings for Mikan weren't love, she thought that Kyo might be looking for a girl with the same qualities as Mikan. Maybe he was basing his standards on Mikan and she didn't know whether or not she meets his standards.

"I have to go now," Kyo said, turning and walking away. Nonoko watched him, adoring him at the same time, as Kyo felt her loving gaze on him. A smile gracing his lips, he peered over his shoulders and looked at her. "I'll see you tomorrow...Nonoko-san…" He mentioned her name so flawlessly, which surprised Nonoko very much. Kyo slightly waved his hand before he continued to walk away.

Nonoko wasn't moving a bit. She just heard Kyo, her biggest crush of all, call out her first name for the first time. It was unbelievable. "Kawashima-kun…" She clasped her hands together and sighed dreamily. She wondered if she could call him by his given name too. "K-K-Kyo-kun, can I call you that?" she asked herself, dangling her bracelet in front of her. It was such a beautiful bracelet and she swore she will treasure it. The bracelet was the first gift she received from Kyo. Indeed, that day proved to be the best for Nonoko. She can't wait to tell it to her best friend, Anna, the next day.

Without further ado, Nonoko went inside her Triple Star room and flopped down on the bed. Hugging the pillow against her chest, she curled up on the bed and pressed her lips against the pillow. "Kyo-kun…" she muttered, her face flushing up again. "I want to call him Kyo-kun. I wonder if it's okay with him. He already called out my first name." She faced the ceiling and placed a hand on her temple. She imagined his face and the sound of his voice when he said her name. It was an unforgettable memory for her.

Just then, someone knocked on her door. Sitting up on the bed, she wondered who it could be. She then jumped off the bed, throwing the pillow back to its place, and went to open the door. The moment she did, she saw a beautiful silver-haired girl with scarlet eyes. The girl was an unfamiliar face. "Um…May I help you, miss?" Nonoko asked politely, and the girl just nodded her head. "Is that so? What do you want from me?"

The girl flipped her hair in a flirtatious way and grinned maliciously at Nonoko. "My name is Aya and what I want from you is…" she said with a chuckle. "Why, it's quite simple. I actually want you to do something for me. You can't refuse no matter what."

Nonoko was having a bad feeling about her. "What is it?" she asked, feeling a big nervous. Aya had this strange aura around her. "Does it have something to do with potions?"

"Of course, Ogasawara Nonoko," the girl said, poking Nonoko's chest playfully. "You know, you're Alice is quite fascinating. I could use someone like you to carry out my plan."

"Plan? What plan?" Nonoko did not like the way she was speaking. The girl's voice was eerie and she seemed to have an evil glint in her scarlet eyes. "If it's something bad, then I can't help you."

Aya pretended to look cute and hurt, but deep down she was laughing like a witch. "You know, I already told you that you can't refuse." Ruka and Ryou suddenly appeared and pushed Nonoko inside her room. Aya followed them inside and locked the door behind her. "Ogasawara Nonoko, you're mine to control." She activated her Alice as she laughed out loud like a witch. She used her Alice on Nonoko, and the chemist was not able to resist the power.

When Aya gained full control, Nonoko went into the state of unconsciousness and dropped on the floor with a loud thud. "We have another member in our team, Nogi-san, Hibiki-san," she said, twirling a lock of hair with her finger. "I only need one more person. Hmm…Which one should I pick?" She already has the Magnetism Alice, Animal Pheromone Alice, and the Chemistry Alice on her side. Her eyes wandered around the room as she thought about her plan. Her eyes caught sight of the picture frame on Nonoko's bedside table. It was a picture of Mikan and the members of the 'Three Geeky Sisters', which composed of Nonoko herself, Umenomiya Anna, and Imai Hotaru. Then she made up her mind and decided on the last person.

* * *

Mikan got up at six on Monday Morning. Her boyfriend was still sound asleep right beside her, and there was no sign that he had gotten up during the night. He looked as though he hadn't moved an inch since she massaged him to sleep the night before. She planted one short kiss on his cheek and whispered a simple good morning in his ear. Seeing his peaceful face never failed to make Mikan smiled. She tiptoed to the bathroom to take a shower. There were no classes for the day, but she had to go to school in order to check the results of the exams. Whether or not she'll get the honor student award again, she won't have any regrets because she did her best in the exams.

After the shower, she emerged from the bathroom, smelling fresh and clean, with a towel wrapped around her petite body. She walked over to her closet, took out her middle school uniform and hung it on a hook by the closet. She was going to comb her hair first and put on some lotion on her skin, but she was unable to do so because Natsume suddenly hugged her from behind. She was pulled with little force, forcing her to lean against his body. Her towel got loose and almost fell. Thankfully, Natsume held it for her, in addition to cupping one of her breast. Mikan became so red and her heart started pounding wildly. It was going to be another morning of perversion, she thought.

"Are you so excited to see your results?" Natsume asked, trailing butterfly kisses on her neck. She let out an involuntary moan, which aroused him a little. "You can go see your results any time, so why bother going early?" He leaned his chin on the crook of her neck and inhaled the sweet scent of tangerine.

He was seducing her, and Mikan can't help being drawn to him. His touches and kisses were so gentle and loving, and she felt so happy being in his arms like that. "I want to know as early as now," she said, as Natsume began nibbling her ear. She tried not to make any blissful sounds by pursing her lips together. It was hard to keep herself in-check because of his doing. "And I don't want to do it with you this early."

Natsume grimaced and pulled himself away from her. "Tch…You're no fun," he said with a shrug. Mikan merely smirked at him. Rolling his eyes away, he walked over to the door and opened it. "I'll get dressed as well. I won't take long, so you better hurry up. Knowing you, I bet it'll take you forever." Mikan scowled at him, but he just ignored her and exited the room.

"He's such a callous guy," Mikan mumbled. She started off by brushing her hair until it was soft and tidy, and then she applied some powder on her face and lotion on her skin. After that, she proceeded to wear her uniform, putting on the white shirt first. All of sudden, someone knocked on her door. "Coming…" She marched up to the door, completely forgetting the fact she was still in her panties, and opened the door. She expected the person to be Natsume, so she was stunned to see Ruka instead.

"Good morning, Sakura," Ruka said with a friendly smile. "Tobita informed me that the results have been posted. I wanted to check the results with you, Sakura."

"The teachers today are pretty fast in checking our grades," Mikan replied, looking excited. "I wonder if I made it."

"Knowing you, I'm sure you'll get the Honor Student Award again," Ruka said. And then he noticed Mikan's attire. She was only wearing her white shirt, which only covered up to her underwear, and her long slender legs were visible for him to see. His face flushed up in instant. "Um…Sa-Sakura…you're…erm…" He didn't know what to say. He didn't want to sound like a pervert or offend her in any way.

"Ruka-pyon, I wish you could come with me if I get to visit jii-chan again. You know, I've said so many things about you to jii-chan. It's too bad only Natsume gets to come with me. I also want to bring Hotaru too." If there were four of them, then they could really have a blast in her hometown. "Maybe I should try to persuade the middle school principal? But then again, I don't think she'll agree." She let out a chuckle as she scratched the back of her head, causing her shirt to rise up a little and exposing a bit of her underwear for Ruka to see.

It was getting hot for him. He wished Mikan would realize her attire already before he'll explode or get a nosebleed. The heart-thrilling moment has yet to come. When Mikan leaned closer, she took a grain of rice from the corner of his mouth and ate it. It was from breakfast this morning. Ruka felt like he could faint in any minute. What she did was totally uncalled for, but he was somehow happy about it. _I still love Sakura… _He couldn't keep it in any longer. He took her into his arms, not caring if he was going get caught by his best friend. He just wanted to hold her and to feel her. _I don't want to let her go. I want her to be mine. _

"Ru-Ruka-pyon…what are you doing?" she asked, stuttering and feeling uneasy. She was hugged by Ruka before but never as intimate as what he was doing at the moment. She felt that he was not the usual Ruka she knew. "Um…Ruka-pyon, can you let go of me now? I…I still have to get ready and Natsume will scold me if I take time."

"Sakura, I…My feelings for you…" He was hesitating, scared of how she'll react to him. He had already confessed his love to her in the past. However, it was difficult to say it again. "Sakura, I…I…" He suddenly stopped as a familiar voice started talking in his head, telling him to do unimaginable things to Mikan. It was Aya's voice nevertheless. He tried to tune it out but the voice just kept getting louder and louder. _You want her, right? Then claim her as yours. Take her now, Nogi Ruka. Make love to her. _The little consciousness left in him was no match against Aya's control. His hand started moving on its own and reached for her thigh. But before he could touch her there, Natsume came and called his attention.

"Ruka…" Natsume narrowed his eyes the minute he saw his best friend hugging his girlfriend. Jealousy taking over, he clenched one fist which was inside his pocket. "What do you think you're doing?"

Ruka quickly backed away from Mikan and faced Natsume. "It's not what you think, Natsume," he explained. His eyes didn't have their usual gentleness in them, and Natsume noticed that. "It was just a friendly hug. No harm there."

But it was more than just a friendly hug, Mikan thought. Ruka was surely acting a little odd a while ago and he seemed to be a different person. Mikan felt kind of worried. "Ruka-pyon's right," she said. She decided to defend Ruka from her jealous boyfriend. "Just a good morning hug to start the day! Don't get mad at him, Natsume."

Natsume wasn't convinced at all. He saw how Ruka hugged Mikan. He saw how different he looked as he held her in his arms. Ruka had some sort of intention. "You may not look like it, but you're really a flirt," he told Mikan—even though he wanted to say something to Ruka.

"I'm not a flirt!" Mikan said, flailing her fists up high, revealing her underwear to the boys. Ruka blushed madly and turned away instantly, while Natsume, being the perverted guy, raised a brow at her. "What?! Why are you looking at me like that?"

Okay, for the record, Natsume was pleased to see her naked thighs and her underwear, though it wasn't shown on his face. But he was displeased at the fact that Ruka saw it too. "Are you planning to seduce guys along the way wearing only that, pink-laced panties girl?"

"Pink-laced?" Mikan looked at herself and finally realized her attire. "Oh, no!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs as she pulled down her white shirt. It was embarrassing. She had totally forgotten about putting on her uniform. As soon as she shot a glare at Natsume, she went back to her room and slammed the door behind her.

Since Mikan was gone, Natsume could finally reprimand Ruka about hugging his girlfriend. "Ruka, were you even aware of what you were doing a while ago?" he asked seriously, his crimson-red eyes seemed to burn a hole in Ruka. "I know you still have feelings for her, but I thought you wouldn't—"

"That's right!" Ruka cut him off, narrowing his eyes at Natsume. "I still have feelings for her. I tried to forget her, but I just can't. I love her too much, Natsume." He was amazed that he was able to say those words with a straight face.

Natsume didn't want to argue with Ruka, out of all of people, but he was left with no other choice. "Ruka, she already belongs to me," he said in a monotonous voice. "So, if you're planning to take her, then you can forget about it."

"She may belong to you, but she's not your possession to keep. You guys are not married yet. There's still plenty of time to break you two up."

"What?!" Natsume would have never expected his best friend, one of the kindest guys he knew, to say such selfish words. It was as if the Ruka standing before him wasn't Ruka at all. "What's gotten into you? I thought you were okay with our relationship. Why are you acting like this now?"

Ruka put on a smirk. "I was never happy with your relationship. Every time I see you and Sakura together, I feel like breaking." He clenched his fists as his expression changed into a grim one. "Honestly, I was happy to see you two happy, but sometimes I wished Sakura chose me instead. Natsume, you're still my best friend, but I have to say this. I'm going to make Sakura mine."

His best friend was serious, seriously in love with Mikan. Natsume was rather surprised that Ruka managed to blurt out such things—his innermost thoughts about their relationship. Ruka has changed. He was being unreasonable. "I don't know if you're sick or not, but I will never hand Mikan over to anyone. Not even you, Ruka." They were going back to being rivals again, but Natsume knew it was going to different than before.

"I'm sorry…" Ruka sighed as he spun around on his feels. "I'm not going to lose her to you again and I don't care if you're her boyfriend right now." His blue eyes were becoming lifeless.

"Are you being stupid or what?" Natsume said with a shrug. Believe it or not, Ruka was beginning to get on his nerves.

"No…I'm just a person in love. That's all."

"Ruka, you…" Natsume reached for his shoulders to grab him, but Mikan came out all ready and set for school in her uniform. Natsume maintained his cool as he looked up at Mikan coldly. "What took you, pink-laced?"

Mikan grimaced. "Again with the nicknames!" she exclaimed, puffing her cheeks. "Natsume, you're such a pervert."

"You're the one who gave me a view of your panties," Natsume said nonchalantly, trying not to focus his mind on Ruka anymore.

"Natsume, you idi—"

Ruka butted in by saying, "Yeah, he is an idiot for harassing you most of the time." He had his usual smile back on his face and his blue eyes have returned to normal. "Natsume, you should try being a little more decent around Sakura." He chuckled heartily.

One moment he was dark and serious and the next thing Natsume knew was Ruka being back to his gentle self. What the heck was going on with Ruka? Was his love for Mikan causing him to have a double personality? Well, he can play along as well. Natsume swore that he won't lose to him. "I do whatever I like with her," he muttered. And by saying that, he meant touching her here and there, doing it in bed, and going out with her. He was going to make Ruka jealous.

Ruka was on to him, so he motioned closer to Mikan and draped his arm around her shoulders. "Sakura, why don't we leave now for school?" he asked, smiling brightly at the brunette, as Natsume's face darkened. "Natsume has to do something, so why don't we go on ahead? I'm pretty excited to see our grades."

When did he say that? For the first time ever, Natsume had the urge to strangle his best friend. Ruka was being fresh with her, which was so against his gentlemanly ways, and he was also making up lies. Apparently, Natsume couldn't help feeling worried. Ruka's behavior was something so new to him. "I have to do something and it involves Mikan. Why don't you go on ahead, Ruka?" He pulled Mikan away from Ruka by the arm. "Besides, we can check our results at any time of the day. There's no need to rush."

"Sakura wants to see her results now," Ruka said, pulling Mikan towards him gently. "You mustn't keep her waiting, Natsume."

Natsume was getting irritated. "She's not going anywhere with you." He pulled Mikan back again.

The brunette was getting dizzy. She was treated like a rope in tug-of-war. "Um…You guys…How about if we just go together?" she suggested, but the two boys ignored her and focused on each other. Mikan sweat dropped and noticed the earnestness in their eyes. What was up with them anyway? The two of them were beginning to pull hard and their grip was tightening. "Natsume…Ruka-pyon…it hurts…"

BAKA! BAKA!

Two insulting shots were heard. One bullet hit Natsume's head and the other hit Ruka's square on. The boys knelt down on their knees, rubbing the sore part of their head. "What are you two morons doing to Mikan?" an icy voice spoke up. Natsume, Mikan, and Ruka turned their heads to the direction of the voice at the same time and saw Imai Hotaru. The genius inventor has finally come back from her work in Europe.

"Hotaru, you're back! I can't believe it!" Mikan exclaimed, her eyes sparkling in glee. She ran towards Hotaru to embrace her, but she immediately stopped as she remembered the Baka Gun. "Um…Hotaru…is it okay if I…? She was fiddling with her fingers.

The inventor sighed. "Come here, dummy," she said, and Mikan jumped at her in an instant, giving her such a warm and lovable hug.

"Hotaru, I've missed you so much," Mikan said. A lot of things had happened during Hotaru's absence—a lot of good and bad things, so she has so many things to say. She also wanted to hear about Hotaru's experience in Europe.

Hotaru smiled a little as she pulled back to face Mikan. She felt happier when she saw the Sakura Sensor on Mikan's uniform. Mikan had been taking good care of it, she thought. "I've missed you too, dummy," she said, her voice never changing. She then turned her attention to the boys, who have recovered from the shots. They were standing there, both looking so serious. Hotaru could understand why Natsume was like that, but Ruka? Judging from their little tug-of-war a while ago, Hotaru can say that things weren't looking good for the two friends. Nevertheless, she was annoyed with the way the boys treated Mikan. "What's the matter? Not happy to see me?"

Natsume arched a brow, thinking how stupid her question was. "Why would I be happy to see you, freak?" He was never hesitant when it comes to insulting Hotaru.

"I see you haven't change your hideous attitude, brat," Hotaru made a come back with an equally stoic face as Natsume's.

"You're the one to talk," Natsume replied, turning his head away. He can't stand looking at the inventor even for five seconds. "You have a way to annoy people." And he has ways to talk to Hotaru insensitively.

Hotaru rolled her amethyst eyes away. "Whatever…" She then turned to Ruka and pulled out a photograph from her pocket. "Ruka-kun, I had someone here to take a picture of you during the Alice Festival. Your picture-perfect moments with Mikan are going to be a hit." She now possessed an evil glint in her eye as well as the sadistic smile.

Ruka's face flushed red. "My picture with Sakura…? During the play?" He thought he was safe from Hotaru's schemes during the Alice Festival since she was in Europe. It seemed like he can never escape from Hotaru. He already has tons of pictures of Mikan and himself, but he wouldn't mind taking the one Hotaru has. Plus, he didn't want to be sold to the fans. "Give it, Imai," he demanded.

"I also have pictures of you in your boxers," Hotaru said. Her eyes have turned into dollar signs. "I'm sure the girls would love to see this." She waved the picture in front of her face, and Ruka's face just paled. Ruka then attempted to grab the pictures, but Hotaru mounted her Swan Scooter and zoomed away.

"Imai, you idiot! Come back here!" The chase was on. Ruka and Hotaru were back to their old routine. Ruka may be sick and tired of chasing Hotaru all the time, but Hotaru always enjoyed teasing and bullying Ruka with her blackmails. "Don't sell my pictures!!"

Mikan lightly laughed. "It's good to have Hotaru back," she said as she looked up at Natsume. "Don't you think so, Natsume?"

"It might be good for you," Natsume said with a shrug. "But it's never good for me. That inventor-freak will get in my way again." It would be hard for him to have a passionate moment with Mikan since Hotaru has the habit of spying on them. In addition to that, Hotaru can also blackmail him. He would be dead meat if Hotaru ever finds out about their love-making as well. Mikan had sworn to never reveal it. Tsubasa and Misaki had no intentions of spilling their secret either. But Natsume had to be careful. The other thing he was concerned about was Ruka. His best friend had made it clear that he was going to make Mikan his. When is he going to have a peaceful relationship with Mikan?

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: Hotaru's finally back. I know some of you were waiting for her. It's been so long. Cut Ruka some slack here. He's a guy under Aya's control. That's why he's saying such things to Natsume. Trouble again! Nonoko and Ryou are now being manipulated by Aya. This can't be good. You have to admit that Kyo was being awfully sweet to Nonoko here. He even gave her a bracelet. Their relationship is growing, but it's won't be smooth sailing from her. Nonoko is Aya's minion now. Remember that Aya plans to destroy the Academy from within and take Mikan to the AAO. Tsubasa and Misaki have found out about Natsume and Mikan's secret. I really enjoyed writing about Tsubasa and Natsume here. Well, let me have some reviews. No flaming.


	31. Results and Rewards

JC: Hotaru's back, Nonoko and Ryou were manipulated, Ruka wants to take Mikan for himself, and Tsubasa and Misaki know about the secret. What's going to happen next? Yeah, I guess everyone's excited about it. This is Chapter 31. It's not yet so serious. Basically, it will just feature the top students of each division. I won't go deeper yet. Some chapters need to be light before the gruesome parts, right? Enjoy reading the chapter.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou. Some names here are completely made up and some are taken from the names of people I know.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 31: Results and Rewards

The results were already out. Students have huddled in front of the bulletin board, checking out if they've passed or not. Students walking away with contented looks on their faces have definitely passed the exams while the students who looked irritated, upset, and almost near to tears were the ones who failed in one or two subjects. Students who fail will have to attend classes during the week-long vacation in order to make up for their grades. The middle school division had about more than fifteen students who failed. On the other hand, the top fifteen students were:

15th- Sugita, Aya (Double Star, Latent Ability Class)

14th- Homura, Sasuke (Double Star, Dangerous Ability Class)

13th- Morishita, Daisuke (Double Star, Somatic Class)

12th- Shouda, Sumire (Double Star, Somatic Class)

11th- Yamamoto, Atsuko (Double Star, Latent Ability Class)

10th- Umenomiya, Anna (Triple Star, Technical Class)

9th- Ogasawara, Nonoko (Triple Star, Technical Class)

8th- Kagurazaka, Mitsuhiko (Triple Star, Latent Ability Class)

7th- Nogi, Ruka (Triple Star, Somatic Class)

6th- Kawamura, Ryuunosuke (Triple Star, Latent Ability Class)

5th- Akatsuki, Momoko (Special Star, Technical Class)

4th- Tobita, Yuu (Triple Star, Latent Ability Class)

3rd- Hyuuga, Natsume (Special Star, Dangerous Ability Class)

2nd- Kawashima, Kyo (Triple Star, Special Ability Class)

1st- Sakura, Mikan (Special Star, Special Ability Class)

The Special Ability Class was the most pleased with the results of the Top 15 High Ranking Students. The reason was quite obvious. Two students from their class have the top two ranks. They were so proud for Mikan and Kyo. The students were ranked according to their grades and performances. Star Rank had nothing to do with this, so it wasn't surprising to see a Triple Star student sometimes outranking the Special Star student.

Hibiki Ryou was looking for his name on the bulletin board. He was going lower and lower until he finally found his name. He looked at the results, slightly shocked as it read: HIBIKI RYOU, CLASS 3, ENGLISH FAILED. Okay, so he had sort of expected to fail English, mainly because he was not good with the subject at all. But he was still annoyed about failing it though. He wasn't going to have a vacation, much to his dismay. He was planning on dating girls for the week. Ryou looked around at the rest, most were celebrating happily with their friends, some were crying having failed their exams, or out of happiness. He motioned over to a corner away from everyone.

"Good Morning, Hibiki-kun!" A happy, slightly out of breath voice said suddenly. Ryou looked around and saw his beautiful idol, Sakura Mikan, walking towards him. "How's your results, Hibiki-kun?" she asked, obviously happy about her results.

Ryou sighed and lowered his gaze from her amber eyes. "I passed everything except English." Mikan's face fell in disappointment, and Ryou perked up to let her see that he wasn't bothered by the results. "It's all right. English isn't really my thing. I hate the subject. I just have to make up for it." He chuckled a bit.

"I used to be bad in English too," Mikan said, giving him a genuine friendly smile. Ryou blushed at the sight of it. She looked so dazzling with such a smile. "But I've worked hard to improve. I'm not particularly a fast learner, but if you study hard then you can expect good results. Just do your best next time, Hibiki-kun. I know you can do it."

Ryou felt like he floating with the clouds. He was comforted by Mikan out of all people. He can't deny the fact that he was slightly embarrassed with his grade, knowing that Mikan was a top student. However, he was happy to hear her cheer for him. "Thank you, Mikan-sama," he said. "I will definitely do my best."

"I'm surprised you're not making a fuss about your failure, Ryou," Kyo, who knew how much of a whiner his best friend can be, said, never failing to smirk arrogantly. "You know, you would not have failed if you only listened to me during the tutorial session."

Ryou glowered at Kyo. "Hey! I did listen…a bit… And I was just distracted." Well, he was focusing more on porn magazines than his English textbook. He was such a lazy bum when it comes to studying. Kyo would force him to study most of the time. "Besides, I only failed on one subject. It's no big deal." It was better to accept the failure than go around and complaining about it.

Kyo sighed as he placed a hand on his temple. "Well, you can say goodbye to your vacation. Don't go asking me for help. I want to enjoy my vacation like the rest. You're on your own for this week, Ryou." Once he looked up again, Ryou wasn't in front of him anymore. He looked around and saw Ryou flirting with his fan girls. Kyo wanted to punch him, but it was better not to ruin Ryou's mood. Putting Ryou aside, he turned to Mikan and smiled. "Mikan-sama, I saw your results. You're top one again. Congratulations. You won the Honor Student Award."

"Thank you, Kyo-kun," Mikan said. She was so happy to win the award again. She will be able to see her grandfather, her old friends, and her hometown. She can't wait for that. "And you're top two. Congratulations on that. If Hotaru took the test with us, I'm sure she'll be on the top five as well. But her work in Europe was the test itself."

"Oh, that's right. Imai-san is back." Before he went to school, Kyo actually spotted Hotaru running away from Ruka. It was kind of funny to see Ruka trying his best to catch up with Hotaru, who was riding her Swan Scooter. "I guess Imai-san will be doing some business again like selling your pictures and stuff." He usually got his Mikan-related merchandise from Hotaru. He already has a box and album full of Mikan. He was just a fan. Who could blame him for keeping stuffs like that?

Mikan spotted Nonoko and Anna and called their attention. The mere mention of Nonoko's name made Kyo turned around quickly to look at Nonoko. As the two Technical Class girls approached them, Mikan congratulated the both of them for getting into the Top Ten. Nonoko and Anna thanked Mikan for that, and they too congratulated her for being number one again. "Thanks! I'm so happy that I'll be able to visit jii-chan again," she said. "I'll promise to bring you back some souvenirs like last time."

"That would be great, Mikan-chan," Anna said. She then noticed how Nonoko and Kyo looked at each other. Getting a funny feeling, Anna thought it would be nice to leave them alone so they could chat properly. "Mikan-chan, I brought some homemade candies and I want you to try them out. I left them in the classroom, so I hope you don't mind accompanying me." She sounded so sweet.

"Candy?!" Mikan's eyes glimmered as she imagined the tasty goodness of candies. "Sure, I would love to try your candies, Anna-chan! Let's go!" She grabbed Anna's hand and in a split second, she ran off, dragging the pink-haired girl behind.

Nonoko lightly giggled at Mikan's reaction to the candies. "Mikan-chan sure loves to eat sweets," she said and then she placed a hand on her cheek. "But I do wonder how she maintains her figure. I sometimes hesitate to eat sweets knowing I would gain weight."

"I'm not really sure," Kyo replied. As he saw the bracelet on her wrist, he simply smiled and reached out for it. "I see you're wearing it. I'm glad."

She lowered her head as she blushed. "I-I'm wearing it be…because you gave it to me…Kawashima-kun," she said in a stuttering voice. She mentally scolded herself for being nervous. "And it's r-really…beautiful…Thank you…for giving me this. I promise…to treasure it…" She wished she could talk properly whenever Kyo touches her.

Kyo tilted her head up with his finger and gazed upon her big round dark-blue eyes. She was adorable in his eyes and so fragile. She possessed another kind of beauty which made him attracted to her. "Please call me Kyo," he said in a smooth and suave voice. "We're not strangers anymore. Besides, Kawashima-kun is too long. Kyo would be better, right?"

Nonoko wanted to melt on the spot. Her heart felt like exploding with overwhelming happiness. Her prayers were answered. She could finally call him by his first name. "K-Kyo-kun…" she muttered.

Kyo shook his head and said, "Just Kyo… There's no need for Honorifics, Nonoko-san. Please say my name once more."

Nonoko swallowed hard. "All right…Kyo…" There she said it, plain and simple.

"Much better," Kyo said, patting her shoulder. "I figured that you should call Kyo only, because Mikan-sama is already calling me Kyo-kun. I don't want you calling me by my surname just like the other fan girls do. It kind of makes you unique in a way, Nonoko-san."

"Kyo…umm…" She clutched onto her blue skirt and looked at him straight in the eye. "You don't have to call me with an Honorific. Nonoko is fine." Kyo was extremely polite to most girls, always using Honorifics at the end of their name. But Nonoko felt that if he would call her without the Honorific, then she would feel more unique.

"All right…"Kyo replied. His lips were graced with a handsome smile. Some girls happened to see him smile and they couldn't help giggling in admiration. "I'll call you Nonoko from now on." He heard some fan girls trying to call his attention. But he pretended he didn't hear anything and focused his eyes on Nonoko.

Meanwhile at the high school department, students were also buzzing in front of the bulletin board. Kawashima Asuka was in front of the crowd, looking for her name. When she spotted her name, she jumped up in joy and hugged a random guy beside her. The guy turned red in an instant and melted like ice cream in her arms. Asuka didn't mind him because of her happiness. She got one of the highest ranks. She has the right to celebrate. She would definitely announce it to her brother later on, and probably brag about it.

Andou Tsubasa was also present with his girlfriend, Harada Misaki, right beside him. The two of them were also in the Top Ten and they were very glad about it. Misaki was the one who pushed Tsubasa to study hard and her Spartan methods in tutoring never failed. Tsubasa would always get a handful of beating from Misaki whenever he doesn't answer the questions right during tutorial sessions. It was tough to study together with Misaki. Before they walked off, they took their time looking at the list of Top 15 students on the bulletin board.

15th- Ohsaka, Shinobu (Double Star, Technical Class)

14th- Takahiro, Suzume (Double Star, Somatic Class)

13th- Kobayashi, Yutaka (Double Star, Latent Ability Class)

12th- Kunimitsu, Tsukasa (Double Star, Technical Class)

11th- Shirayuki, Mitsuki (Triple Star, Dangerous Ability Class)

10th- Fujimura, Akaya (Triple Star, Special Ability Class)

9th- Otonashi, Yura (Triple Star, Latent Ability Class)

8th- Asakura, Minori (Triple Star, Somatic Class)

7th- Andou, Tsubasa (Special Star, Special Ability Class)

6th- Ibaragi, Nobara (Special Star, Dangerous Ability Class)

5th- Ishida, Rei (Special Star, Technical Class)

4th- Nobuyuki, Kagami (Special Star, Somatic Class)

3rd- Harada, Misaki (Special Star, Special Ability Class)

2nd- Kawashima, Asuka (Special Star, Technical Class)

1st- Mizuhara, Kohaku (Special Star, Latent Ability Class)

Since there were no classes, Asuka decided to pay her little brother a visit in the middle school department. The moment she arrived at Kyo's classroom, she saw something that made her smile so widely. Her brother, who could be such a brat to her, was actually having a pleasant conversation with cute Triple Star student Ogasawara Nonoko. "They're becoming closer each day," Asuka muttered to herself, cupping her chin. The other day, Asuka saw Kyo and Nonoko in Central Town. She inquired Kyo about it and teased him when he got back to his dorm room. Kyo kept on saying that Nonoko was just his friend, but Asuka knew she was something more. Her brother was slowly falling in love with the chemist. She could feel it in her blood. "Kyo just needs a little push so he can finally realize his love for her."

Moving along, Asuka decided to check on the bulletin board for her brother's results. The first thing she saw when she looked up at the board was Mikan's name. "Wow! Mikan-chan did great! She's number 1!" She was squealing like a deranged fan girl. She then read the second highest rank and gasped. "Kyo? Kyo is number two like me! This is absurd. How can my stupid little brother get that rank?"

"Who are you calling stupid, Nee-chan?"

Asuka let out a shriek and backed up against the wall. "Kyo, you idiot!" she yelled, raising a fist in the air. "You startled me!"

Kyo folded his arms and raised an eyebrow. "I worked hard to achieve that rank, so don't insult me like that," he said.

Asuka placed both hands on her waist. "Hey! The word stupid just came out of my mouth. I didn't mean to say it." She looked up at the board again. "But it's not really a surprise that you got second place. You are a genius, although you're not as smart and clever like me. I'm still the best here." She just loved to brag in front of her brother.

"But didn't you get the same rank as me?" Kyo curved his lips into a proud smirk. "Don't try to deny it, Nee-chan. I saw your results already. You're in second place just like me. I can't believe you still have the decency to be so cocky like that."

Popping a vein, Asuka unleashed her favorite weapon, the paper fan, and whacked Kyo's head with it. "You're such a smart-aleck brat who can't shut his mouth," she said.

"And you're such a barbaric sister," Kyo uttered, making Asuka angry. She was so going to kill him. In order to avoid getting whacked again, Kyo pointed towards a certain direction and said, "Look, it's Mikan-sama!"

Asuka went into fan girl mode and turned around. "Mikan-chan? Where? Where?" She looked around and found no Mikan. She realized that Kyo played a trick on her. "You brat, I'm going to get you." As she turned back, she found out that Kyo had already disappeared. Kyo pulled a fast one on her, much to her dismay.

* * *

Ruka sat on the bench, his bangs covering his blue eyes as his as he held a picture of Mikan in his hand. The person who he admired the most belonged to his best friend. Sakura Mikan. She was as beautiful as her name. She was the most selfless and cheerful person he had ever met. She always works hard and never gives up. He admired her looks, her friendly demeanor, and her innocence. But the girl only considered him as a good friend. He wasn't anything like Natsume. He didn't possess the bad-boy attitude or the cold exterior. He possessed the polite and handsome character that most girls sought after. Yet, Mikan chose Natsume to love. Life was sort of unfair to him.

"Why are you alone, Nogi-san?" A voice belonging to a girl asked. Ruka lifted his head to see his schoolmate, who decided to take a seat beside him. She waited patiently for his reply, sporting a sweet little smile on her face. The girl was Sugita Aya, the student currently holding the 15th spot in the ranks. She has two personalities. The present one was the kind and shy one. The other one, with hair so silver and eyes red as blood, was evil and cunning. She was an elite member of the Anti-Alice Organization.

"Sugita, when are we making our…" Ruka started, but Aya cut him off.

"You're holding a picture of Mikan-chan. Then you must be thinking about her."

Ruka gave her a strange look, but nodded. "I've finally told Natsume what I wanted to say after all these years. I swore that I will make Sakura mine." He shifted his eyes on the middle school building. "And I don't care if I have to force her or not. You promised that you'll help me, right, Sugita?" Not anymore the regular Ruka, he was now someone with a completely different personality. This change in him was caused by Aya's Alice.

Aya's eyes turned scarlet. Her other personality was taking over. "That's more like it, Nogi Ruka," she said, her voice deep and sly. "I made the right decision in choosing you to be one of my minions." His mind, his body, desires and will were all hers to control. One of her Alices was classified as dangerous. Since Mikan stole her Telekinesis Alice and Barrier Alice, only her two main Alices have remained in her body.

"Sugita, Sakura will be leaving the academy to visit her grandfather for a week," Ruka informed her. "It's because of the Honor Student Award. Are we going to make our move after she leaves?"

Aya nodded her head. "That's right. With Mikan-chan away from the academy, no one would be powerful enough to stop me here. It's the perfect opportunity." A sadistic laugh escaped from her mouth, but she immediately shut her mouth when two students past by. "Remember not to do anything suspicious. We don't want anyone to know that the AAO is here. Our goal here is to destroy the academy and take Sakura Mikan to the organization."

"I always keep that in mind, Sugita," Ruka said.

"Good. You sure are reliable."

Asuka suddenly appeared right in front of them. She was using her Teleportation Bracelet to jump from one place to another. She certainly surprised Ruka and Aya with her presence. "Hello, Ruka-kun!" she greeted the blonde guy. "Have you seen, Mikan-chan? I've been looking for her everywhere. I already checked the classrooms, but she wasn't there."

"I haven't seen her," Ruka replied nervously.

"Is that so?" Asuka then turned to Aya and noticed her scarlet eyes. Somehow, her eyes reminded her of the silver-haired girl she once encountered in the woods. "How about you? Have you seen Mikan-chan?" she asked.

Aya, still in her malevolent personality, pretended to smile kindly in order not to arouse suspicion. "I haven't seen her, senpai." she said politely.

"Okay..." Asuka sighed and spun around her heels. "I wonder where she could be. Maybe she's in the cafeteria?!" In a blink of an eye, she activated her bracelet and teleported out of sight.

Aya grimaced and clenched her fists after Asuka disappeared. "That girl…She's the one from the woods." She shot Ruka a serious look. "You have to watch out for her." She stood up from the bench and walked away.

* * *

After getting a taste of Anna's delectable and colorful candies, Mikan went to the elementary school division together with Natsume. She wanted to check on Youichi and his grades. The ghost manipulator was a candidate for Special Star. It would be great if he achieves that rank, because that would make him the only elementary student with the Special Star rank. Mikan and Natsume used to be the only two Special Star students in elementary before they moved up to middle school. As the bulletin board came to view, Mikan rushed towards it, careful not to bump the kids along the way. She started reading from the Top 10 students from lowest to highest in the B group.

10th- Miura, Fuyumi (Single Star, Somatic Class)

9th- Hasegawa, Yukito (Single Star, Technical Class)

8th- Yoshikuni, Daiki (Double Star, Dangerous Ability Class)

7th- Hashimoto, Mikoto (Double Star, Somatic Class)

6th- Suzuki, Tadashi (Double Star, Special Ability Class)

5th- Hirakawa, Sachiko (Double Star, Latent Ability Class)

4th- Amakusa, Shouhei (Double Star, Latent Ability Class)

3rd- Aihara, Kazumi (Triple Star, Technical Class)

2nd- Sanada, Naoto (Triple Star, Special Ability Class)

1st- Hijiri, Youichi (Triple Star, Dangerous Ability Class)

"Natsume, look!" Mikan exclaimed, pointing at Youichi's name on the board. "He did it! You-chan made it to top 1! Last time, he was ranked fifth and now he's first. What an improvement!" She bounced up and again, acting childish, as she held Natsume's arm.

"Act your age, polka-dots," Natsume said with a shrug. "You're embarrassing me."

"Come on, I'm just thrilled for You-chan!" Mikan said, releasing his arm and twirling on the spot. "Where is the little guy anyway? I want to congratulate him for a job well done." She glanced around to look for Youichi and spotted him from a distance. A nimble as a cat, she ran towards Youichi and hugged him from behind.

Youichi was completely taken by surprise but he managed to keep his cool façade. "Nee-chan, what brings you here?" he said, trying not to blush.

Mikan released him and went in front of him. "You-chan, you're top 1!" she exclaimed, clamping her hands on his shoulders. She had to bend down to look at him directly. "That's so great. I'm proud of you, You-chan!"

For a seven-year old with an innocent crush, his heart was sure thumping loudly. He was pleased to her that Mikan was proud of him. "Thank you, Nee-chan," he said, sounding casual as usual. He didn't want to get all excited. It would be out of character. When he saw Natsume approaching them, he said, "Onii-chan, what is your rank in the exams?"

"I got third," Natsume replied briefly.

"I'm higher than Onii-chan," Youichi said before turning to look at Mikan. "How about you, Onee-chan?"

"The same as you, You-chan," Mikan replied, and Youichi's lips curved into a small smile. "You know, we can go back and see our family again. Isn't that great? We can spend a whole week in our hometown."

Youichi averted his gaze away from her. "I…I guess so…" he said nonchalantly. It was his first time winning the Honor Student Award, so it was going to be his first time going back to his hometown. He hasn't seen his family for how many years. He was also troubled at the fact he won't be seeing Mikan and Natsume for a whole week.

"You-chan, you're just one step away from achieving the Special Star rank," Mikan said, balling one hand into a fist, as she looked determined. "Go for it! I know you can do it!"

One of the reasons why he was striving hard in his studies and Alice control was because of Mikan and Natsume. If he's a Special Star, then he will become a Student Council member like them and he can spend much more time with them, especially with Mikan. Not only that, the Special Star rank would give him certain privileges like going out on missions with one of the best agents of the academy. He would love to do a mission together with Azumi Yuka, his mother-figure.

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: Sorry, I had to make it short. This chapter was all results. Okay, most of the names are completely made up by me. It was kind of fun thinking of the names. Some of those names will be used in future stories of mine. Basically, the students who won the Honor Student Award are: Hijiri Youichi (Elementary), Sakura Mikan (Middle School), and Mizuhara Kohaku (High School). They will be allowed to go home and spend the whole week there. Of course, they will be heavily guarded from the AAO. But do you really think the middle school principal will let Mikan out of the academy knowing that the AAO are after her? Well, find out in the next chapter. Please review. No flaming.


	32. Unknown Enemies

JC: Hey, sorry for the short chapter last time. I just wanted to write something light to freshen up a bit. It's quite tiring if I try to think of gruesome and dark things all the time. Lately, I've been reading suspense books. I also got hooked with Stephen Meyers's Twilight today. It's really nice. All right, this chapter will involve…Well, I can't tell it here. Please read to find out.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 32: Unknown Enemies

The morning went by quickly, and Mikan never had a chance to find Hotaru to talk to her about her trip to Europe. So when it was time for lunch period, she hurried to the laboratory section of the Technical Class. Halfway down the hall, she saw her best friend coming out of her lab and she immediately picked up the pace. She called out Hotaru's name and lunged forward for a hug. Hotaru simply took a step sideward to evade her, causing Mikan to fell face flat on the floor. As usual, Hotaru doesn't let Mikan hug her easily.

Mikan quickly got back to her feet, rubbing her poor sore face. "Hotaru, you meanie!" she uttered, flailing her arms up and down. "I haven't seen you for a long time and this is the thanks I get." She puffed up her cheeks and crossed her arms.

Hotaru merely raised a brow, thinking how absurd her brunette friend was. "I've already let you hugged me this morning, so don't push your luck," she said coldly.

Mikan heaved a sigh. Well, Hotaru would usually treat her unkindly, but she knew how much Hotaru loved her. She didn't mind being pushed around by Hotaru as long as they were best friends. "Hotaru, we didn't get to talk much this morning since you got chased by Ruka-pyon again," she said brightly. "We have a lot of catching up to do. I also want to hear you experiences during the convention."

"I don't feel like talking about it," Hotaru replied, rolling her eyes away. It was lunch time and she was hungry for some food. She can't waste her lunch time by talking about her so-called experiences with a chatterbox like Mikan.

Mikan smiled at her. She had an engaging grin that lit up her amber eyes. "I'll give you my 'All You Can Eat' meal ticket I got as a prize for the Honor Student Award," she said, waving her ticket in front of Hotaru's face. "You wouldn't want to miss out on an opportunity like this, right?"

"Bribing me, huh? Not bad… You really are learning from me." Hotaru turned to her lab door and slid a key card on the lock. "All right, we can talk. Let's go inside." Though it was against her pride to give in just like that, her love for food was still overwhelming.

"It's been a long time since I last came in here," Mikan said as soon as she stepped into the lab. She glanced around the place for a bit before she sat down on a stool. "Hotaru, a lot of things had happened when you were away, a lot of unexpected things that I couldn't explain well through the mails."

"Iinchou informed me about the AAO's attack and the massacre at the Hana Hime mansion," Hotaru said as she took out a box of donuts from the fridge. "I've also asked my brother about it when he fetched me from the airport. You had a lot of close calls. It's a relief that you're still here." She sat down on a stool beside Mikan and took out a donut with strawberry filling inside.

Mikan recalled the time she fought with Aya. It was a tiresome battle where she combined her two Alices to defeat Aya. She then told Hotaru everything that has happened—from the time she almost got kidnapped by Reo to the time she said goodbye to Shirasaki Yuki, the Phantom Lover of Alice Academy. She wished she had brought along the mechanical bird Yuki made for her so Hotaru could see it, but she left it back in her room. She explained how those experiences made her stronger and more aware of her surroundings. And those experiences made hers and Natsume's love firmer than before. Of course, she didn't tell Hotaru about their love-making—even if it was against her nature to keep things from Hotaru.

Hotaru was eating non-stop but she eventually lost her appetite as she heard Mikan saying she was almost raped by the ghost. Mikan certainly didn't inform her about this in her mail. It was no wonder Hotaru can't seem to monitor Mikan's moods properly everyday with the Sakura Sensor. There were times that Mikan couldn't wear it because of trouble. "Mikan, you should've told me all this before," Hotaru said, setting the box on the table, as her bangs hid her amethyst eyes. "If you had told me, then I could've done something to help you."

The brunette drew a deep breath. "I just didn't want you to worry, Hotaru," she said kindly. "I know how much the convention meant to you, so I kept quiet for your sake."

"You're really an idiot," Hotaru said callously, looking at Mikan in the eye. "You're more important than any convention. Have you had any idea how I felt when I heard that you were almost taken away by the organization?" She kept her poker-face on, but she was getting emotional inside.

"Hotaru…"

Hotaru suddenly changed her serious expression into a more kind and soft one. She presented a small yet lovely smile on her face—a smile rarely seen by others—and placed a hand on Mikan's shoulder. "If you got taken away, I would have to punish your boyfriend. I made him promise to me that he'll protect you no matter what." And she wasn't planning on just a simple punishment. She had thought of something drastic.

Mikan felt a chill running down her spine. Hotaru was emitting such eerie vibes again. "Hotaru, you're really scary…" she muttered, smiling awkwardly.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Hotaru said, resuming eating the donuts. She decided to change the topic and she immediately thought about the Alice Festival. "I didn't state this properly in the mail, so I'll just have to say it personally. Congratulations on winning the Queen of Alice award and the Alice 

Championship award." Truth to be known, when Mikan wrote to her about her victory, Hotaru wanted to rush over to the academy right away to take pictures of Mikan and sell them to the fan boys.

"Thank you, Hotaru," Mikan replied. "So, do you want me to tell you about the Alice Festival? I didn't mention this in the mail, but I actually kissed You-chan. It was his first kiss." She laughed so sweetly and continued telling her story. The inventor had gone back to her stoic expression, but she still enjoyed listening to Mikan.

* * *

It was approximately nine o'clock in the evening. Mikan sat down on her sofa and began to eat a feast of chips and biscuits prepared by the one and only talented Umenomiya Anna. Her pink mechanical bird was perched on her shoulder, giving Mikan its occasional pecks. Along with Nonoko and Hotaru, all four girls were enjoying their time chatting, except for Hotaru since she was busy stuffing herself with the snacks. The girls were going to have a sleepover in Mikan's room. They haven't had one in ages, and it was Anna and Nonoko who suggested it. Mikan was more than happy to agree. It was kind of nice to have girls around in your room for a change. Now that she thought about it, she had been spending too much time with Natsume and less time with her friends. Natsume wasn't so keen with the idea since he can't spend the night with her, but Mikan warned him about Hotaru and her blackmails. Knowing how protective her best friend can be, Mikan thought it was best if he should lessen his nightly visits to her room. The flame-caster certainly protested, saying that he wasn't afraid of the inventor, but Mikan told him that Hotaru was just being protective of her.

The girls decided to watch a romantic movie next—a DVD movie that Anna personally rented herself. Anna didn't want Kokoroyomi to pick the movies anymore, seeing that he liked choosing the very scary ones. Well, horror flicks were good once in a while, but it has the tendency to give you nightmares. Anna also knew how easily frightened Mikan was when it comes to horror, so she decided on a romantic movie. They were girls, and girls were usually interested in romance.

As Anna was setting up the DVD player, Hotaru grabbed the bowl of popcorn, which had been sitting there ever since she ate the chips and biscuits, and placed it on her lap. Munching on some popcorn, Hotaru suggested watching horror instead of romance. She wasn't into those kinds of things anyway—even though she was a girl. Mikan shuddered in fear, but Hotaru didn't care.

"Sorry but this is the only thing I got right now," Anna replied, inserting the CD into the DVD player. "But my companions from the Technical Class told me that this movie is one of the best. I'm sure you'll like it, Hotaru-chan." She showed Hotaru a friendly smile and sat back down beside Nonoko.

The first thing being featured on screen was the law and commercial for piracy. During this time, Nonoko noticed how continuously Hotaru ate her popcorn. "I've just noticed something…" Nonoko said. "Hotaru-chan, did you gain weight?"

Hotaru swallowed the popcorn in her mouth and sipped her orange juice. "Is it that obvious?" she questioned, her voice calm and refined.

Nonoko nodded her head. "You must've been eating a lot of delicious food over there in Europe," she said as she imagined the places in Europe, namely France and Germany. It would be nice to visit such places.

"The food was too good to resist," Hotaru plainly said, resuming her popcorn snack time. How could she resist fine dining everyday? Hotaru didn't care about her weight as long as she feasted on the delicious food there prepared by a first class chef.

And when the opening credits started, the girls focused their attention on the screen. The movie lasted about one and a half hour. Mikan, Anna and Nonoko were really touched by the movie and the ending was so romantic. They all admired how strong-willed the couple was despite how many people were against their relationship. On the other hand, Hotaru was just being Hotaru and didn't find the movie interesting. As Anna turned off the television and DVD player, she suggested talking about boys. Mikan and Nonoko agreed right away, but Hotaru remained quiet. Chatting about boys was always on the agenda during a girl's sleepover.

"Have you met any good-looking boys in Europe, Hotaru-chan?" Nonoko asked the inventor, as Hotaru munched on her potato chips. Nonoko wondered if Hotaru had a black hole for a stomach, because she had been eating ever since they came to Mikan's room.

Hotaru swallowed before she spoke in her usual monotonous voice. "I have…But I don't know if they're really good-looking or not." Honestly, Hotaru had zero interest in boys. "I haven't interacted with anyone over there aside from my clients." Well, she did see some boys during the convention, but none of them befriended her. The boys there regarded her as a weirdo or a geek. Hotaru didn't mind it. She couldn't care less of what others may think about her.

"That's too bad," Anna said. "You should've looked for a boyfriend there, Hotaru-chan. You know what, it seems like we're the only ones in this group that doesn't have a guy yet. Mikan-chan has Natsume-kun while Nonoko-chan has Kawashima-kun."

Nonoko blushed at what Anna said and tried to shush her. Hotaru raised an eyebrow at her before she turned to Anna. "Do you mean Kawashima Kyo?" she asked, munching on another chip. She swallowed it first and spoke. "But I thought Kawashima is only interested in Mikan. I never would've guessed that Nonoko-chan and Kawashima would be a couple." Okay, she had been missing out on a lot of things.

Mikan let out a giggle as she patted Nonoko's shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me that you and Kyo-kun were already a couple?" she said cheerfully. "I'm happy for you, Nonoko-chan."

Nonoko shook her head vigorously. "No, you got it all wrong…" she said, fiddling with her finger. "K-Kyo and I are not a couple. We're just good friends."

"Well, not a couple yet but soon," Anna added, making Nonoko blush harder. "You two are definitely closer now than before. You two are on a first name basis already and he gave you a bracelet." Anna pointed at the bracelet on Nonoko's wrist.

Nonoko wanted to shrink down on the spot. "I-I do like Kyo…But I don't know if he feels the same way towards me." Kyo had been a complete gentleman to her, and she always enjoyed his company. The moments she had shared with him, especially their little friendly date in Central Town, were something that she will never forget. She didn't know how long she can keep her feelings for him locked up in her heart. There were times she wanted to confess to him, but she was afraid of rejection. "And I don't think I'm the type of girl Kyo wants. I'm sure he would prefer someone like Mikan-chan."

"Kyo-kun had already given up on me, Nonoko-chan," Mikan said, taking Nonoko's hands. "Kyo-kun had confessed his love to me, but he knew that I could never return his love. He knew that I was happy with Natsume, so he decided to give up. He doesn't have a thing for me now. Nonoko-chan, you have to do your best to snatch his heart. I'm sure you could do it. You're real easy to like because you're smart and cute."

Hotaru finished the last of the potato chips and crumpled the pack. "I can't believe that Mikan is actually talking with some sense about love," she said as she looked at Nonoko. "But the dummy's right, Nonoko-chan. It's not impossible for Kawashima to fall for you."

Nonoko was still worried. "Do you really think so?" At that point, Anna and Mikan hugged her like a teddy bear and muttered 'yes' in her ears. Nonoko's lips curved into a smile as soon as they released her. She glanced at each one of her friends in the room and bowed her head. "Thank you, everyone. I'll do my best with Kyo." She was happy that her friends were willing to support her.

Later that night, while everyone was asleep, Nonoko jarred her eyes open at the sound of a voice in her head. She sat up on her sleeping bag and held her head with both hands. The voice was ordering her to execute the plan. She was trying to resist it, but the voice grew louder by the second. Soon, her consciousness was taken over by the owner of the mysterious voice and her midnight-blue eyes became lifeless. She stood up, grabbing her small backpack, and walked over to where Hotaru was. She pulled out a vial containing a powerful sleeping potion inside. Hotaru made a slight movement as Nonoko knelt down but she didn't wake up. Using a dropper, she dropped some of the liquid into Hotaru's mouth. Nonoko then took out a small Alice stone and placed it on Hotaru's temple.

The stone glowed faintly and entered Hotaru's head in one swift motion. "The Anti-Alice Organization will succeed…" Nonoko muttered softly, repeating what the voice said in her head. She stood up and looked over at Mikan, who was sleeping soundly on her bed with the little bird beside her. _"Mikan-chan, you will come to the organization whether you'll like it or not." _

* * *

The next day, Mikan was summoned by the middle school principal to discuss about the Honor Student Award. She headed for the principal's office together with her boyfriend. But when she reached for the door, she heard voices coming from inside the room. Two voices she strongly recognized as Narumi-sensei's and Hii-sama's, and she also recognized the other voice as belonging to Persona. Mikan couldn't make out much of what was being said, but she did hear some words. _We can't let Mikan no Kimi go home. _They had to be discussing about whether she should be allowed to go home or not. For a second there, Mikan hesitated. The conversation going on inside the room was private. But she had to know if they were serious about it.

Natsume stayed quiet. He knew what the middle school principal was going to say to Mikan. He had already been informed the academy will increased their defenses around Mikan in order to keep her safe from the Anti-Alice Organization. But it was simply wrong to not let her enjoy the fruits of her hard work. Mikan did her best to get the top rank.

Trembling, Mikan moved closer to the door. She was able to hear a little bit. The other thing she heard was something about the Anti-Alice Organization. She just had to know what they were saying! Holding her breath, Mikan leaned over and pressed her ear against the door. But to her dismay, the voices seemed quieter. She closed her eyes, leaned her ear against the door as hard as she could, and tried to concentrate. And then, suddenly, the door opened. Mikan tried to catch herself as she almost fell into the room, but Natsume grabbed her and pulled her back up.

"Sakura Mikan and Hyuuga Natsume… You two were eavesdropping." Persona's voice was as cold as ice. He was dressed in his usual black outfit with the white mask on his face. "No matter. The middle school principal has been expecting you."

Mikan and Natsume walked into the office and came face to face with the middle school principal. She was sitting behind her desk, fanning herself elegantly, as Narumi-sensei and Shizune stood right beside her table.

"Mikan no Kimi, I hope you're prepared for what I am about to say to you," Hii-sama said, closing her fan and placing it on the table. She leaned back on her seat and clasped her hands together on her lap. "You had numerous encounters with the Anti-Alice Organization. Although you managed to escape their clutches, it doesn't mean that they will stop hunting for you. It was impressive on how you used your Alice against the one called Aya, but she is indeed very dangerous. And because of the Anti-Alice Organization, I cannot let you go back to your hometown to visit your grandfather, Mikan no Kimi." She spoke without falter and hesitation. Her voice came out so smooth and calm.

Mikan's eyes grew wide. "What?! That can't be! I earned the award fair and square, so I should be allowed to go home." Especially when she had worked so hard, she just can't let them restrain her from going. "I want to see my jii-chan again. I've really missed him. I know the AAO is a problem, but Natsume will be going with me. He's my bodyguard after all. I can also protect myself from the AAO."

"I want you think things through, Mikan no Kimi," Hii-sama said in a kind but firm voice. "I know you are strong. But what if the Anti-Alice members decide to attack you in your hometown? You will be involving your grandfather as well. It's too much of a risk. The academy can't afford to lose you."

Mikan bit her lip and lowered her head. "I…still want to see jii-chan…" she muttered under her breath. She didn't want to be stubborn, but her desire to see her grandfather was great. "If the AAO should attack, then I will protect jii-chan. I believe in my own strength and I know I can handle anyone from that organization with my Alices." She looked up at the principal again, determination present in her amber orbs.

Narumi was impressed at what Mikan just said and he had always believed in her strength. "Principal, perhaps you should reconsider," he said, smiling towards Mikan. "After all, she did earn the award fair and square. It would be unfair if she was the only one who couldn't go." Well, he was also concerned about his daughter's safety, but he also wanted Mikan to be happy.

Hii-sama drew in a deep breath. "I knew something like this would come up, which is why I've summoned Persona here as well," she explained. "Mikan no Kimi, I would allow you to visit your grandfather only if one more student operative will join you and Guren no Kimi. We can't take any chances. It is imperative that you should be safe during your visit. Do I make myself clear?"

Mikan presented a bubbly smile as she nodded her head. "That's all right with me!" she exclaimed. "So, who will be accompanying me and Natsume?"

"Persona, if you may…" Hii-sama said.

All heads turned to the man clad in dark. Persona had one hand in his pocket while his other one held a clipboard with the list of Dangerous Ability students. He had encircled the student he picked to be the bodyguard of Mikan. "This person will accompany you," he plainly said, diverting his eyes away from the clipboard. "And it's the Ice Princess, Ibaragi Nobara."

Mikan perked up at the sound of the name. "Nobara-chan is coming with me?" Her lips curved into a grateful smile. "That's wonderful! I can finally show her around my hometown and we would have fun! Now I'm more excited than ever."

"Another bodyguard is assigned to you as well," Persona continued, tucking the clipboard under his arm. "He's still on a mission right now, and as soon as he's done with that, he'll head straight to your hometown."

"Who is he?"

"I believe you're well-acquainted with Tonouochi Akira," Hii-sama answered her, placing a fan over her mouth.

"Eh? No way!" Mikan couldn't help feeling happier. "Tono-senpai is going to be my bodyguard! I've missed him so much. I've haven't seen him like for a year now."

Natsume twitched his eyebrows in annoyance. He had no problems of Nobara going with them. But he certainly disagreed having Tono around for a bodyguard. The guy was pretty close to Mikan and he doesn't hesitate flirting with her, and every time he does, Natsume would either peel him away from her or just burn him with his Alice.

* * *

Hotaru sat up straight in her bed, looking paler than the whitewashed wall behind her head. She had been in bed for the whole morning. She was previously in Mikan's Special Star room, but when she woke up and felt dizzy that morning, she excused herself from her friends and went straight to her room. Of course, she pretended like there was nothing wrong with her. She didn't want them to worry about her. It was already eleven in the morning and she felt like crap. Her vision was blurry and her head was heavy. Maybe she was coming down with a fever. But she wasn't stressed out or anything. And when her head started to hurt again, she massaged her temples roughly, hoping it would ease the pain.

"You don't look too good there, Imai-san," a voice spoke out of the blue. Hotaru looked up and saw a silver-haired girl standing at the foot of her bed. The smile on the girl's face told Hotaru that she was no friend. Also, Hotaru distinctively remembered Mikan describing the ace Alice of the Anti-Alice Organization who was called Aya. Judging from the girl's hair and scarlet red eyes, Hotaru knew that it had to be her.

The inventor narrowed her amethyst eyes. "You have no permission to be in this room." It was unfeelingly spoken. "So please leave here at once." And she meant it.

Aya laughed as she walked across the room, clad in a black cloak with beautiful celestial markings on the hems, and stood in front of the study table where she saw a picture of the two best friends. Seeing their smiles made her bitter inside. "Imai-san, would you mind if I take your precious best friend away from you?" she said. "You see, I really like Mikan-chan and I want her to be my best friend instead."

"You have to go through me first." Hotaru jumped off the bed and unleashed her Baka Gun. "After failing so many times, the organization is still willing to try and take Mikan away. How stupid can you guys get? Your plans will never succeed, so might as well give it up." She showed no signs of fear.

Aya smirked sinisterly and cocked her head. "You talk big for a weak and pathetic bitch," she said. She eyed Hotaru carefully from where she stood. "The organization will succeed because they have me." She let out a laugh, which annoyed Hotaru to the fullest. Two bullets from the Baka Gun were released, and Aya dodged them with ease. Aya then closed in on Hotaru and kicked the gun up. Lightning fast, Aya grabbed the Baka Gun as she shoved Hotaru away.

Hotaru fell back on the bed, and when Aya pointed the Baka Gun at her, it immediately fired three shots. All three bullets hit Hotaru's head. Aya giggled in delight and twirled the gun like an expert gunner. "Wow! I thought your inventions were lame, but this one is kinda fun," Aya said. "This invention automatically fires on an idiot, right? Since you got shot it must mean that you're a big IDIOT." She laughed maniacally, chanting idiot over and over, and threw the invention away.

It was her first time to get hit by her own inventions. Hotaru admitted it wasn't an enjoyable experience. Slowly, she sat up on the bed and shot Aya a glare. "What are you doing here anyway?" she questioned, keeping her calm façade. "If you're planning on using me to get Mikan, then you can forget about it."

"That and other reasons…" Aya folded her arms in front of her chest. "Besides, I already have you under my control, Imai-san."

"You're saying nonsense," Hotaru replied, clenching her fists tight.

"Really now?" When Aya snapped her fingers, Hotaru instantly froze like a statue. "A slave is the most fitting position for you, Imai Hotaru-san. You'll do everything I say and you can't stop me." She grabbed a handful of Hotaru's hair with one hand and slapped her face with the other one. She continued slapping Hotaru's face until it was red. After that, she released Hotaru, pulled her out of the bed, and pinned her down on the floor with one foot.

Hotaru grunted in pain, but she could no longer speak. She only closed her eyes and accepted every punch and kick Aya gave her. It was the worst situation for Hotaru. Not only can she not use her inventions on her, she was also under Aya's control. She was defenseless. She couldn't even call for help.

Aya knelt down and lifted Hotaru's head by pulling on her hair again. "I'm really going to have fun toying with a weirdo like you," she said, and slammed Hotaru's face against the floor. Hotaru's head and nose were starting to bleed, and Aya only smiled at the sight of blood. Hotaru was hers to control. Now her team inside the academy was complete. It would only take a matter of time until the academy will be destroyed completely.

Just then, Ruka entered the room and locked the door behind him. He saw the inventor in her distress state and felt nothing for her—not even one hint of concern. "So, you've finally got her," he said, approaching the girls. Hotaru opened her eyes a little and silently gasped at the sight of Ruka. "Hmph…I guess this is what you get for being damn annoying all the time, Imai." He gave her a very cold stare, which sent chills down her spine. It was her first time to see Ruka that way.

"She is so weak," Aya said, plopping down on the bed. She rolled over and lay down on her stomach. "After I'm done using her, I'll just get rid of her. Besides, her Alice is common and boring. It doesn't appeal to the organization at all." She sat her chin on her hands and swung her legs back and forth consecutively.

Ruka smirked, agreeing to the idea. "Make sure to give her a painful death," he said, and Hotaru's eyes grew wide. He looked down on her. His blue eyes held nothing but malice. "By the way, I've confirmed Sakura's departure. She's going to leave tomorrow morning accompanied by Natsume and the Ice Princess of the Dangerous Ability Class. I've also heard that Tonouchi Akira, the previous Special Ability Class representative, was assigned to be Sakura's bodyguard as well. All in all, she has the Ice, Fire, and Amplification Alice protecting her."

Aya sat up on the bed and puffed her cheeks in aggravation. "And let's not forget Mikan-chan. She has Nullification, Stealing, as well as my Telekinesis and Barrier Alice," she said, flipping her hair. "If the organization plans on kidnapping her during the trip, then it will be hard." She was basing this on her own personal experience with Mikan and Natsume.

"Let's leave that to the other members," Ruka said. "While Sakura and the others are gone, it's time for us to make our move. Hibiki and the others are all set for this."

The more Hotaru listened to them, the more worried she became. Although she managed to maintain her stoic face, the feeling of pain was evident in her eyes. Her head felt like bursting and her body was paralyzed. She felt so useless. She wanted to do something in order to stop the two. And she couldn't quite grasp the reality of Ruka being under the spell of Aya.

"It's good to have minions to count on," Aya said with a laugh. "And, oh, Imai-san is an additional member. I'm going to put her to good use soon." She crossed her legs and hugged them against her chest as she glanced down at the inventor with a malicious grin on her pretty face.

* * *

"What is all this stuff?" Natsume said scornfully, looking at the pile of cute key chains, accessories, and little stuffed toys on Mikan's bed.

Mikan looked up from the clothes she was carrying. She was busy packing her things for the trip. "Those are some souvenirs for my jii-chan and friends back home. I bought all of them during the Alice Festival. I was thinking of sending them through mail, but since I'm allowed to visit my home, I decided to give them those personally. Aren't they just adorable?"

"It's too cute for my taste," Natsume said. "It's so like you to choose these kinds of girly stuff."

Mikan tried to hide a grin. It was a good thing the principal wasn't so strict with her. Yes, she knew the dangers, but it wasn't enough to scare her away. She and Natsume were going to leave tomorrow morning, and Mikan couldn't wait. She'd spent the whole afternoon packing her stuffs and planning on what to do when they get to her hometown. "Come on, not all of them are girly," she said. "There are some stuff there for jii-chan. You can't call that girly."

"A baby blue scarf with cloud prints on it isn't girly," Natsume said, crossing his arms. "It's just childish."

"Um…" Mikan wrinkled her brow. "So what if it's childish? Jii-chan would still love it! He always appreciates my gifts." She stuck out her tongue at him and went back to her packing.

Natsume decided to sit down on the couch and read a manga. He knew that Mikan was going to take her time with the packing. He was already done, because he doesn't pack so many things. After all, he was a guy and guys don't bring much stuff unlike girls. As he opened his manga, the mechanical bird flew in and landed on top of his manga. Natsume merely raised a brow at it. "Hey, polka-dots…" he said.

"Don't call me polka-dots, pervert," Mikan snorted.

"Did you name this thing already?" Natsume questioned, as the little bird hopped on his head.

"Name what?" She turned to Natsume and saw her bird. "Oh…You mean that…Well, yeah, I named it already. I had a hard time coming up with a good name for it. In the end, I decided to call him Sora, which means Sky. What do you think of a name?"

Natsume shrugged. "Not bad," he plainly said. "The name's fine for it."

"Thanks…" Mikan said, approaching him from behind and snaking her arms around his neck. "Natsume, will everything be all right…? I mean, the Anti-Alice is after me and it is risky to visit jii-chan at this time. I know I acted brave in front of the principal. But I can't help worrying a bit about this."

"I won't let anything happen to you," Natsume said, touching her arms. "I'll make sure you'll have a good visit."

That night after dinner, Mikan invited Natsume, Hotaru, and Ruka to spend the night star-gazing on the rooftop and chatting about their present lives. Mikan was enjoying herself, talking to Hotaru animatedly, as she hugged her arm freely. She was glad Hotaru was letting her hug her as much as she wanted. And Mikan didn't have to worry about getting hit by her inventions because Hotaru didn't seem to bring any. As she kept talking, Hotaru kept on munching on pretzel sticks. But the moment she turned to Natsume and Ruka, who were sitting right next to her, she noticed something different about them. The two of them weren't even talking or looking at each other. It was weird. She whispered to Hotaru about her concern, and the inventor told her it was probably a boy thing. Mikan wasn't convinced. It seemed like the two were on a silent war. She released Hotaru's arm and went in front of Ruka and Natsume. Once she touched their hands, the boys immediately shifted their gaze on her.

Ruka was blushing mildly. "Sakura, what is it?" he managed to ask without stuttering.

Mikan leaned forward to look at Ruka closely, making the blonde's heart pound loudly, and then she turned to look at her boyfriend. She pulled back, drawing a deep breath, and sat her clenched fists on her lap. "What's with you two?" she asked. "Why aren't you talking to one another? Did you guys fight or something?"

Hotaru stopped eating to look at the boys. Her eyes became lifeless as she focused her sights especially on Ruka.

At the same time, the two boys replied, "Nothing's wrong…" And that made them look at each other. Ruka's eyes were becoming lifeless as well, but thankfully it wasn't obvious due to the lack of light. On the other hand, Natsume narrowed his eyes on him. The two of them was sending silent messages through their eyes, telling each other to pretend in front of Mikan.

Ruka made a gentle face as he turned his head at Mikan. "Natsume and I didn't fight," he said. "We're just not talking because there's nothing much to talk about." With that, Hotaru heaved quiet sigh before she returned to eating her pretzels.

Natsume rolled his eyes away with a shrug. "Besides, we're not chatterboxes like you, polka-dots."

"Hey, don't insult me!" Mikan said, lightly punching Natsume's arm. "I was just worried about you guys there for a second."

She had the right to worry, Ruka and Natsume thought at the same time. Because of what Ruka said to him, Natsume couldn't trust him anymore. Ruka, his best friend out of all people, was planning to take Mikan away from him. He had never seen Ruka so serious in all his life.

Mikan sat back down beside Hotaru and hugged her knees together. "Can you believe that Natsume?!" she uttered, purposely letting Natsume hear. "He can be sweet but most of the time he's just mean!" She could feel Natsume glaring at her but she just simply ignored him.

"You can't change the fact that he can be a total jerk," Hotaru said, finishing the last of her pretzels.

Just then a faint wind blew past them, fluttering their hair everywhere. At this time, Mikan noticed the bandage on Hotaru's temple. She didn't see it before since her bangs were covering it. "Hotaru, what happened to you?" she said. "Did you bump your head somewhere?" She was going to touch it, but Hotaru swatted her hand away.

"Don't touch it, dummy," Hotaru said, giving Mikan her icy look. "It might get infected with your germs."

"Sorry…But seriously where did you get that?"

"I got careless while fixing some inventions in the lab," Hotaru said monotonously. "Some stuff fell on me and hit my head hard. Well, it's nothing serious anyway, so don't make a fuss about it." Of course, what she just said were all lies. She was under Aya's control now. She can't reveal how she really got wounded in the head.

Mikan gasped. "Hotaru actually got careless?" she muttered, placing both hands on her cheeks. "That's unbelievable. I've always thought you were careful all the time, especially when you're fixing your inventions. Who would've thought you can get careless as well?" She giggled, and received a death glare from the inventor. Mikan immediately shut up and bowed her head in apology.

"Be sure to bring me souvenirs or else don't bother coming back to this academy," Hotaru threatened, and Mikan nodded her head obediently. "And send my regards to my parents. I'm sure you won't forget about that."

Mikan smiled and hugged her best friend. "Of course! But I really wish you can come home with me." She had her chances to visit her hometown, while Hotaru had none. Although Hotaru strived for the Honor Student Award before, she got sent to a lot of business trips. Hotaru was seldom at school because of her work. Being a genius inventor has its perks, Mikan thought.

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: Aya's totally taking control. No one can stop her for now. She'll unleash her plans once Mikan will leave the academy. For the record, the ones under Aya's control are: Ruka, Ryou, Nonoko, and Hotaru. She had deliberately tortured Hotaru here. But this is the bad side of Aya were talking about. The other personality is much nicer and sweeter. A girl with two personalities, but which one is the real Aya? I won't reveal Aya's story just yet. Well, there will be Natsume and Mikan moments in the next chapter. Grandpa Sakura will be in it too. Please look forward to the next chapter. Review and no flaming.


	33. Welcome Back

JC: Mikan's going back to her hometown, but I will focus on the academy too. I will be introducing her grandfather here. Something serious will go on much during her stay with her grandfather, and I will be giving hints about Aya's plans. I'm currently reading akatsuki-hime's **Fragments of an Undying Love** which is a NatsumexMikan fic. It's really good, though a little sad and tragic, but sweet. Try reading it too! By the way, the elementary school principal here is not anymore the chibi-principal from the manga. The principal is different here.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 33: Welcome Back

They left for the country early in the morning about 4 o'clock. Mikan was strangely quiet as they drove out of the academy. She sat lost in her own imagination while her little mechanical bird was perched comfortably on her shoulder. She was excited to see her grandfather again that she pictured out their loving reunion ahead of time. Well, she was a little sleepy too and she wasn't in the mood to talk either. Besides, her companions looked like they could use some more sleep since they woke up earlier than her. She glanced over at Nobara and then shifted her eyes to Natsume. Her boyfriend had the usual cold demeanor, but it seemed like he was in a grumpy mood. Well, Mikan couldn't tell by the look on his face, but she could sense it in him. The reason for his mood was probably because Narumi-sensei was the one who personally wake him up. She also found out that Natsume fell out of bed when Narumi yelled out his name while knocking on the door.

Natsume noticed her staring at him and raised a brow. "What are you looking at?" he asked, and Mikan merely shook her head in reply. He then shrugged and folded his arms in front of his chest. "It's going to be a long trip, so don't do anything annoying or make a fuss. We're also not stopping at some store to buy some souvenirs like last time."

She puffed up her cheeks and turned her head away. "I wasn't planning on doing that, you know!" she snorted. "And if it's get boring in here, I have Nobara-chan here to keep me company. She's much better to talk to than grouchy you."

Nobara got nervous at the sight of Natsume's glaring eyes. "Um…Mikan-chan, don't get Natsume-kun mad," she said, placing a clenched hand over her mouth. She has the habit of doing that. "It's not good if you'll only talk to me during the whole trip. What if Natsume-kun gets bored too?"

"Him? Get bored?" Mikan let out a light laugh and patted Nobara's shoulder. "This guy will read his manga if he gets bored. He doesn't need to have a conversation with me just to lighten up. Most of the time, he just finds me annoying whenever I open my mouth." Natsume was about to retort, but Mikan immediately cut him off by sticking out her tongue.

A vein popped out of Natsume's head. "Polka-dots, why don't you just shut up?" he said in a grim tone as he maintained his façade. Mikan stuck out her tongue again only to annoy him more. He didn't want to get more frustrated, so he decided to open his manga and read it. That will keep him busy.

For a second there Nobara thought Natsume was going to threaten with fire again. It was a relief that he didn't use his Alice. She could see that Mikan had a triumphant smile on her face, and she couldn't help smiling at it. "Mikan-chan, what's your hometown like?" She had always been curious about the place where Mikan spent her early childhood days.

"It's a nice little town with friendly people," Mikan said, imagining her old friends and grandfather. "You'll love it once we get there. I'll show you around and introduce you to folks, so don't get shy, Nobara-chan."

Nobara nodded her head. "I'll try, Mikan-chan." She wasn't sure if she can interact with people. She wasn't sociable and outgoing like Mikan, and her shyness tends to overwhelm her. But since Mikan was with her, she believed that everything will go well.

They arrived about noon at the Sakura residence. The house was still the same, still beautiful, surrounded by a magnificent flower garden and Sakura trees standing beside it. Mikan was all smiles the moment she set her eyes on the house and she grew even happier when she saw her grandfather coming out. Sora, the bird, flew up as Mikan rushed to her grandfather's arms and gave him a nice warm hug. Oh, she had missed her grandfather so much. Even though the both of them wrote letters to each other, it wasn't enough to satisfy their need for each other.

After the hug, the old man took a good look at his granddaughter from head to toe. He cupped his chin with his hand and smiled at her. "Every time I see you, you look more beautiful and stunning," he said, and Mikan slightly blushed at his compliment. "I also think that you've gotten taller, Mikan." He measured her height with his hand and compared it to his. Mikan was definitely getting taller, prettier and mature, and he was proud of that.

"Thank you, jii-chan," she said chirpily. "I got the Honor Student Award again, so I'm here to stay for the week. I brought you some souvenirs from the academy and the herbal teas that you wanted for so long."

"It's good that you take your studies very seriously, Mikan," the old man said before he glanced at the two students standing a few feet away from Mikan. He recognized the raven-haired boy since Mikan had already brought him twice to his home, and of course he knew that he was her boyfriend. But the other person was a new face to him. He had to admit that she was fairly attractive like his granddaughter. "And who might this be?"

Mikan motioned over to Nobara and clung to her arm. "Jii-chan, she's one of my closest friends in the academy," she said chirpily. "She's Ibaragi Nobara-chan and she has the Ice Alice. I believe I've mentioned her to you before in my letters."

Nobara bowed before the old man and introduced herself properly. "I'm Ibaragi Nobara and it's an honor to finally meet Mikan-chan's grandfather." She straightened up and gave out a small yet shy smile. "Along with Natsume-kun, I've been assigned to be Mikan-chan's bodyguard, so I'll be guarding her for the whole week."

"Is that so?" the old man said, cupping his chin with his hand. "Well, thank you for the trouble." He smiled happily at the Ice Princess.

"And I'm sure you already met, Natsume, jii-chan!" Mikan said, hugging her boyfriend's arm, causing the old man to look seriously at Natsume. "Natsume and Nobara-chan are staying here for the week as guests and my bodyguards. Oh, yeah, another bodyguard will be coming here soon, and his name is Tonouichi Akira-senpai. Don't drive him away when he arrives, okay?"

"Yes, yes, I got it," the grandfather said, slipping his hands into his long sleeves. "Why don't you two girls head inside while the boy and I carry your things?"

"You don't have to do that, sir," Nobara said. "We can carry our—"

"My dear…" the old man cut her off. "I may be old but I'm still as strong as an ox. You and Mikan should get ready for lunch now. Now, hurry along."

Mikan grabbed hold of Nobara's hand. "Let's leave it to them, Nobara-chan," she said with a smile. "Besides, I want to show you my room since that's where you're going to stay." Giggling, she playfully dragged the Ice Princess into the house and brought her upstairs to her old room with Sora following right behind them.

On the other hand, Natsume lifted his and Mikan's things, as the old man Sakura carried Nobara's bag. Mikan's bag was pretty heavy, considering that she had a lot of souvenirs in it, but he didn't complain about it. As he reached the living room of the house, he settled the things on the floor beside the couch and sat down. Just then, Nobara's bag came flying towards his face and he didn't have time to evade it. The bag hit his face dead on. Luckily, the bag was just full of clothes, so it was pretty soft. He heard a snicker and immediately looked up at the old man standing inches away from him.

The old man sat down beside him and slapped his back hard. "We're going to spend some time together again, boy," he said, grinning mischievously, as Natsume heaved a deep sigh. "And don't think that you'll be able to have some intimate moments with my granddaughter while you're here like last time. I hope you're prepared to be my personal helper around the house, boy." He patted his shoulder and snickered once again.

Helper? More like slave. Ever since he was introduced to the old man by his loving girlfriend, the old man always gave him a hard time. The first time he came to visit was like hell to him. He was forced to clean the house all by himself, including the toilet and the backyard. On his second visit, he was caught kissing Mikan on the lips, which made the old man chase him around the house. Okay, the old man was being a grandfather to his granddaughter, but he could be a little too much. He was going to have one hell of a week in the Sakura residence for sure.

* * *

Sugita Aya, an elite member of the Anti-Alice Organization, sat in silence on her bed for a long time, as she closed the book she was reading. It was one o'clock in the afternoon, and she had been reading for hours. She didn't even bother having breakfast or lunch. She was not the shy and dark-haired Aya. She was the silver-haired one with the scarlet eyes. Her split personality came out the minute she saw Mikan leaving the academy. Truth to be known, she actually felt lonely that Mikan was away for one whole week. But it was the perfect opportunity to execute her plans. She was going to use all the resources she can—even if it means using people as tools—just to make her plans successful. She had Nogi Ruka, Hibiki Ryou, Ogasawara Nonoko, and Imai Hotaru under her whim. With them, she could already imagine the downfall of the academy. She sinisterly laughed at the thought of it. And once her mission was done, she could finally return to the organization where her precious Mouri Reo was waiting. She would also be awarded greatly for her work by the boss.

When she finally decided to get out bed, she pulled out a photo album from the drawer and went through it. Most of the photos there were of Mikan's. She had a huge collection of it and she had bought them secretly from Hotaru. They cost a fortune but it was worth it. She truly admired Mikan. She closed the album carefully, looking at it as the precious thing that it was. She put it back into its proper place and changed into her casual clothes after turning back to regular Aya. Her clothes were composed of a long-sleeved yellow blouse and a white pleated mini-skirt. For footwear she wore a pair of brown laced-up boots. She grabbed a bite to eat at the cafeteria. Nothing heavy, just a cup of tea and some biscuits, and then she went strolling around the Northern Woods.

She arrived at a certain spot, which was far away from the buildings, and reverted back to the silver-haired girl. "I guess it's time to move," she muttered, snapping her fingers. Two girls and two boys suddenly came out of their hiding places and knelt down like knights before Aya. "I see that everyone is here. Good." She explained to them in full details about the plan, speaking in a clear and intimidating voice. She warned them about the consequences of failure and told them that they should work efficiently and accurately at all times. She doesn't tolerate any minion who fails.

"Your plan…" Hotaru spoke up, maintaining her composure, as she looked up at Aya with her lifeless amethyst eyes, "will involve innocent lives. Isn't the goal of the Anti-Alice Organization is to destroy Alice Academy and to kidnap Sakura Mikan? I think it would be better if we target the higher-ups right away instead of wasting time with the students."

Aya grew annoyed. "And who gave you the right to talk, bitch?!" Lightning fast, she kicked Hotaru away. "Don't ever question my plans again, you hear me! Who cares if we kill some students? I just want this academy destroyed." She had the urge to strangle the freaky inventor, but she reminded herself that she was still going to use her.

"Imai, you should learn to shut that trap of yours," Ruka said coldly as he shot one mean glare at Hotaru. "The Anti-Alice Organization will bring an end to this academy, and we'll be able to live freely."

"A life outside the academy," Ryou said, standing up and placing both hands behind his head. "That would be awesome. Plus, I'm getting sick of this school anyway. The AAO definitely has the right idea."

Nonoko briefly glanced at Hotaru before she stood up. And she hesitated to talk. "With the academy gone…we'll be able to see our family again…" she said, clenching her fists. "That's why…I'm willing to help Aya-san and the AAO."

"Those are the words I wanted to hear," Aya said, letting out an evil laugh. "Imai-san, I hope you do your job well. I don't want you to be real nuisance. But I am going to have fun toying with you, Imai-san. I'll make sure that you'll become unfit to be Mikan-chan's best friend."

Hotaru didn't say anything as she got back to her feet. She maintained her head low, avoiding eye contact with the scarlet-eyed girl. She wasn't affected with what Aya just said. She didn't mind it all when Aya told her that she was going to toy with her. She was under Aya's control completely and there was nothing she could do about it. A weak Alice such as herself could not possibly fight off such a person with tremendous Alices inside Aya.

"You four are to continue acting normally in front of others. Don't let your friends find out about our plans." Aya placed a fist on her waist and pointed a finger at them. "Pretend, lie, and deceive—that's what we're going to do. I'm expecting all of you to do a good job. You are not allowed to let your guard down either. Well, that's all I have to say. You guys can go." After saying that, she began walking away in a hurry.

As she reached the path, she turned around to confront the person following her. "What is it? I thought I made myself perfectly clear with my instructions." She spoke with such an intimidating voice.

"After we get Sakura, you promised that she will be mine," Ruka said with a straight face. "I just wanted to make sure of that."

A slight wind picking up, Aya grinned maliciously at Ruka as she crossed her arms. "I'll pick you over that bastard Hyuuga any day," she said. "You're more suited for Mikan-chan, which is why I'll do everything in my power to separate them. You won't mind if I have to get rid of your good-for-nothing best friend, right?"

There was a moment of silence. "I…I…" Ruka clenched his fists tight and narrowed his blue eyes. "I don't care about Natsume. Do whatever you like with him. You can kill him if you want. I just want to make Sakura mine." No falter, no hesitation—Ruka was firm with his words, and Aya was more than pleased to hear that.

* * *

The next day, Mikan woke up early to prepare breakfast for the current occupants of her home. After slipping into a long-sleeved buttoned white dress, she headed towards the kitchen and prepared a traditional Japanese breakfast and a refreshing pitcher of orange juice. She was always the one cooking the meals in her home. Since she grew up without a mother, she was trained in domestic skills such as cooking and cleaning, and she doesn't complain when doing chores for her grandfather. Well, sometimes it was tiring but sometimes she enjoyed it. She ate breakfast first after she set the food on the table and went outside for some fresh air. It was approximately six-thirty in the morning and the sun was just rising beyond the horizon. It was a beautiful sight to see. She approached the Sakura tree, looking around the garden where she used to play a lot as a child. As a slight breeze passed by, Mikan drew in a deep breath and smiled gracefully as she set her eyes on the yellow-brown leaves falling from the tree. Autumn was fast approaching.

She walked around the house for a while, humming a lovely tune, and greeted the little birds flying above her head. On the rooftop she saw her mechanical bird friend, Sora, and waved a hand at it. Sora saw its owner and immediately flew down. "Good morning, Sora," Mikan said, patting its head. "You're up pretty early. How about the others? Are they still asleep?" Sora shook its head and settled down on her head.

Mikan was about to continue her walk when somebody suddenly hugged her from behind, and she didn't resist the person. She knew who would be daring enough to walk up to her undetected and hug her. She knew it was Natsume. "What are you doing here outside, polka-dots?" he asked in an unruly voice.

"Just taking a walk," she replied, turning around to face him with a smile. "Why? Is there something wrong with that?"

Natsume flicked her forehead and sighed in frustration. "You can't go out of the house alone," he said. "The Anti-Alice Organization is still after you. If you want to go outside, take me or that Ice girl with you. We can't take any risk."

Mikan grimaced and pulled away from Natsume. "So, I can't even act normally in my own hometown, huh?" she said, lowering her head. "You know, I just wished that the organization would stop coming for me. Even if they capture me, I will never help them with their plans."

"As if I'll let them capture you…" Natsume grunted. Frankly, Aya of the AAO still bothered him. He could never forget her cunning smile, her cold scarlet eyes, and her maniacal laugh. She was a strong enemy and she'll do what it takes to accomplish her goals. He was sure that Aya would come back even stronger than before. She practically had no weakness, while he has his fourth-shaped Alice. And as he stood there, thinking about Aya and looking down at Mikan, with the leaves flying past them, he simply moved closer to her and kissed her. Mikan was so startled, she didn't move away, she just held onto him and then she kissed him back, as he pressed closer and closer against her. And when he finally broke the kiss, they were both breathless.

"Natsume…You'll get in trouble with jii-chan if he catches us like this," she said softly; her lovely smile seemed to have lit up her amber orbs more. "You know how he is…"

"The old man is still sleeping, so I still have time to play with you, polka-dots," he said, brushing his hand through her brown hair. Just then, he slipped his hand under her skirt and touched her bottom. Mikan let out a gasp and glared at him. "What? It's not as if you're not used to it."

Mikan slapped his naughty hand away and held his face between her hands. "I don't know why you're such a pervert, Natsume," she said plaintively. She wasn't in the mood to shout at the top of her lungs and insult him. After all, it was a lovely morning. "Now let's go back inside. Breakfast is all ready and I want you to eat to your heart's content."

Natsume merely rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Whatever…"

* * *

It was a total chaos back in the academy. Everyone was in panic. Teachers and staff were running around tending the students, calming them down, and keeping them in order, as the security force were taking care of the investigation. Just this morning, five students from elementary division were found dead in their own bedrooms. Two girls from the middle school division had committed suicide by hanging themselves, three middle school boys were found with cuts on their wrists so therefore they bled to death, and six high school students were now sick in the hospital. The students weren't the only victims of this strange occurrence. Two teachers from the high school department were also found dead and the cook from the middle school dorm was poisoned. Nobody knew what was really going on. It was horrible. Even the ones with the Divination Alice or the Precognition Alice couldn't explain what happened. It was like a plague for the academy.

The middle school principal, the elementary principal and the head teachers of each department were all gathered in the meeting room to discuss the disturbing event. Sadly, the high school principal was still out of the country, so he couldn't join them. But the two principals were planning to inform him about the crisis. The meeting began with each head teachers explaining to the principals about the mysterious deaths and sickness of their students. They've also researched their students and found nothing that will cause them to die or to commit suicide.

Jinno-sensei, head teacher of the elementary division who teaches math, had a hunch that it was the work of the Anti-Alice Organization, and the head teacher of the middle school division agreed with him. On the other hand, Narumi-sensei, moderating teacher of the Somatic Class who teaches Japanese, wondered if it was really the organization. As of that moment, the investigators had found no clues that would make the AAO the suspect. Whoever caused the deaths and sickness had done it so flawlessly, and Narumi guessed that it wasn't done by just one person. Everyone in the room agreed to his theory.

All of a sudden, a security force personnel appeared beside the elementary principal and informed him some more tragic news. Two three-year old kids have just died a while ago and one 10-year old girl was sent to the hospital because of the sickness. The elementary principal, known for being calm and composed, could no longer contain his emotions inside. Out of frustration and anger, he rose up and slammed his fists on the table. "What the hell is going on here?!" He brushed his hands uneasily through his once slick emerald-green hair and gritted his teeth. "There's no end to this. What are we supposed to do? We can't let any more students die!"

Hii-sama understood what the elementary principal felt, but she managed to stay calm. "Without knowing the real cause, how can we solve a problem such as this?" she asked the teachers who only replied her with silence. If it was the work of the AAO, then she should've sensed something—even just a little bit of their presence—with her barriers. Who or what exactly was the academy dealing with?

Another security personnel came into the room through the door, apologizing in advance for his rudeness. "A student was caught in the act of murder!" he said, trying to catch his breath. Everyone's attention was now on him as they were anxious to know who the student was. "The student was seen slashing the victims with her inventions. She has already been restrained by my companions."

Narumi swallowed hard when he heard that the suspect was a girl using inventions. One girl immediately came into his mind, and he hoped it wasn't her.

"Who is this student?" Jinno-sensei asked, looking irritated and impatient.

"Technical Class student," the guard said, and Narumi's chest tightened, "Imai Hotaru…" And when he mentioned her name, Narumi-sensei clamped his mouth in surprise as his eyes grew wide. The others were as surprised as him, especially the middle school principal. Who would've thought that the genius inventor could do such a thing? Narumi didn't want to believe it and asked the guard again if he was sure that it was Hotaru. The guard said it was the truth, which only made Narumi more concerned. There must be logical explanation. Hotaru, though indifferent and sometimes cold-hearted, wasn't a murderer. Narumi wasn't going to stand for it. He rushed out of the room fast with only one destination in mind. He was going to find out about the truth.

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: While Mikan and Natsume are out of Alice Academy, Aya makes her move and used Hotaru for her schemes. She's really evil, right? Well, that's just the other side of Aya. She has one sad past that will be revealed in the future chapters. Things are not going to go well for Hotaru now that she's the one being blamed for the murders. Narumi will have a talk with her, but will he find out anything relevant? Remember, Hotaru is under Aya's control, so she can't reveal Aya's identity. The story has become dark again. I'm going to enjoy writing more of this. Please review. No flaming!!


	34. The Devil at Work

JC: A lot of students and some teachers died in the last chapter. Mikan, Natsume and Nobara have no knowledge about this. I plan on letting them know later because I don't want to spoil their vacation just yet. More evilness will be present here. I would feel sorry for Hotaru here. Aya's really the one to blame, but I can't hate her as well. Okay, I have to admit that this story is majorly twisted and you don't know what to expect. Anyway, I hope you enjoy chapter 34.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 34: The Devil at Work

Several deaths were confirmed all in one morning, and several students were in the hospital due to an unknown sickness. First it was the Hana Hime Massacre and now a plague has come to the academy. At least, everyone knew who caused the massacre. But the mysterious deaths and sickness left them baffled and frustrated. Some say it was the work of the Anti-Alice Organization and some say it was the end for all Alices. The school was in an uproar because of the tragedy, and the adults were doing the best they can to handle the situation. The news had not yet reached the other branches all around the world nor has anyone informed the operatives working outside the academy. The higher-ups of the academy wanted to confirm something before they spread the word. They had to question a certain student who was caught in the act. And this student was the least person they expected to cause the trouble.

Narumi-sensei sat with Hotaru for an hour, trying to get her to talk, but the inventor never spoke, and never made eye contact with him. She was currently strapped to a chair inside a white prison cell. He was deeply concerned with her. He had known Hotaru for a long time and he believed that she wasn't the culprit. However, the one who caught her insisted that she committed the crime since he had seen it with his own eyes. He didn't want to doubt the guard, but he didn't want to point fingers at Hotaru either. Once again he asked her a series of questions only to receive no response. Hotaru left him with no choice but to use his Human Pheromone Alice. He first told Hotaru about his attempt so he wouldn't surprise her.

And then Hotaru finally uttered something—something that surprised Narumi even more. "I did it, sensei," she said in a monotonous voice. "But I only killed two students. It's not like I had a choice at that moment. Those guys were nothing but a bunch of idiotic perverts." The way she said that was so cold and her face held no emotions. It was like she didn't regret what she did to those students.

Puzzled, Narumi asked her why she had to kill them. Hotaru didn't answer him and simply rolled her eyes away. "Hotaru-chan, this is not like you," he said. "If they were just perverts, you could have just knocked them out instead of killing them. What you did was wrong, Hotaru-chan."

"I don't see anything wrong with it," Hotaru plainly said, shifting her gaze at Narumi. "Those boys deserved it. They had no right to harass me."

Narumi paced back and forth as he massaged his temple. He was getting a serious headache. His student was talking like she was a cold-blooded murderer. "But because of what you did, you are now the prime suspect of the recent deaths and sickness of the students and teachers." He placed his hands on Hotaru's shoulder and shot her a worried look. "Hotaru-chan, let me ask you this. Did you or did you not harm those people?"

"I only killed those boys," Hotaru said firmly. "The other victims had nothing to do with me. And take your hand off of me."

The blonde teacher withdrew his hand and asked her, "Are you sure?"

"Are you deaf? I told you that I had nothing to do with them. "

Sitting down on a chair, Narumi hung his head low as he placed his hands behind his head. Hotaru was definitely not being herself. She was still rude and bad-mouthed but still different than usual. He thought of three possibilities for her behavior and one of them included that she was being mind controlled by someone. "Hotaru-chan, about what you did…" he said, looking up at her. "How are you going to explain this to Mikan-chan? You can't keep this from her."

"Hmph…I won't hesitate to tell her. She's my friend. I'm sure she would understand my actions."

"What are you saying?!" Narumi said, standing up from his seat. "I know you guys are best friends, but I don't think Mikan-chan would understand what you did. Mikan-chan is a kind-hearted girl and she'll obviously be upset when she hears about the murder. Hotaru-chan, what is really the matter with you? Wait…Are you even Hotaru-chan?" Before Hotaru could reply, a flash of lightning came whooshing past Narumi and shocked Hotaru. Of course, Narumi was surprised at this. Seeing the blue electrical waves shocking Hotaru, Narumi knew whose Alice it belonged to. He peered over his shoulders and saw Jinno-sensei and standing right beside him was Kokoroyomi, the mind-reader.

"We've been monitoring your talk with Imai since the beginning," Jinno-sensei said, tapping his wand on his hand. "I've even summoned this mind-reader here to know what's going on through Imai's mind. And do you know what we've found out?"

Narumi was a little scared to find out. He was even surprised to see the usual cheerful Kokoroyomi in serious mode. "What is it, Jinno-sensei?"

Kokoroyomi was the one who answered Narumi's question. "She admitted that she only killed two, right? Well, she was lying about that. She actually killed more. The five elementary students who were found dead in their bedrooms were all killed by her." It wasn't in his nature to be so serious and a bit stoic in expression, but the situation called for it. Knowing that Hotaru committed those crimes made him felt like he was betrayed. He had considered Hotaru as a friend and a good classmate, and yet she was a murderer. She took away the innocent lives of poor children.

"Hotaru-chan killed them…?" Narumi was speechless and worst of all; he was too stunned to even move from his current spot.

"I'm really disappointed in you, Imai," Jinno said, activating his Lightning Alice. Blue electrical waves gathered at the tip of his wand in a flash. "You're not worthy of being a student here anymore. I'll see to it that you'll get a punishment fit for your crime." He shocked Hotaru with his Alice, almost rendering her paralyzed. However, Hotaru didn't scream, only struggled. Jinno-sensei was never lenient when it comes to punishment. He had the reputation of being a very strict teacher.

Although Narumi felt sorry for Hotaru, he didn't do anything to stop Jinno. He, too, was upset with what Hotaru did. At first, he didn't to believe it and he thought Hotaru was merely joking. However, Kokoroyomi proved that Hotaru was guilty for her crimes. He then asked Kokoroyomi if there was something that pushed Hotaru into killing, and the mind-reader told him that Hotaru did it just for the enjoyment of it. She wasn't blackmailed or threatened. Hotaru did it in her own will. "It's impossible. For many reasons, it's just impossible for Hotaru-chan to change all of a sudden." As Jinno-sensei continued punishing Hotaru, Narumi left the prison cell and head outside to take a breather. "Hotaru-chan is not a murderer. It just can't be. I have to get to the bottom of this."

"As if I'll let you," a voice spoke out of the blue, startling the blonde teacher.

"Who's there?!"

"I'm sure you still remember me, sensei," the voice, obviously belong to a girl, said.

Narumi quickly spun around and came face to face with a silver-haired girl. "You…I thought you already left the academy," he said, and then he realized something. "The unexplained plague—I'm sure you're the culprit! And you must have done something to Hotaru-chan to make her kill!"

Placing a hand on her waist, she showed the teacher a sinister grin. "Good guess, sensei…" she said. "Imai-san is actually under my control. But the way I control her is different than regular hypnosis or mind control, which is why you can't detect any Alice being used on her."

"Just what kind of Alice do you have? I know you have more than one."

"Yeah…But the other two got stolen by Mikan-chan," she said, twirling a lock of hair with her finger. "Anyway, since you know too much, I have no choice but to shut you up, sensei. I still need that pathetic Imai-san for my plans and I can't have you interfering."

Narumi took a voluntary step forward. "Try and stop me if you can," he said, unleashing his bean whip. "Prepare yourself, Aya!" He attacked the girl with the whip, but Aya quickly jumped away to avoid it. He charged forward and attempted to catch her foot. Aya anticipated his move, so she merely evaded the whip. Narumi tried a series of attacks but none of them seemed to work against Aya.

"This is boring," Aya said, faking a yawn. "Let's stop this already, okay?" She gave out a sly smile before she moved towards Narumi in a blinding speed and kicked him away. After that, she slammed his head against the ground and used her Alice to inflict wounds on his body. While she kept on attacking Narumi with a wicked smile on her face, one of her scarlet eyes turned back to its original color and started to sprout tears. Her other side was crying in sadness.

* * *

Mikan was busy washing the dishes when she unintentionally dropped one. The dish hit the floor and broke into pieces. She mentally scolded herself for being careless and reached down to pick up the pieces. As he picked up a shard, her finger got cut. "Ouch!" She withdrew her hand back and glanced at her small cut. "I'm so unlucky…" she muttered, seeing blood coming out. Letting out a sigh, she sucked on her finger to make it better and started cleaning up the mess.

"I heard something break," Nobara said as she went into the kitchen. "Mikan-chan, did something happen?" And she got her answer shortly when she saw the broken dish on the floor.

The brunette smiled awkwardly at the Ice Princess and stated that it was an accident. Honestly, before she dropped the dish, she had sensed something disturbing, quite ominous to be exact. She couldn't figure it out.

With Nobara's help, she was able to clean up and washed the dishes faster. After the kitchen work, the two girls went outside to have a chat under the Sakura tree. Once there, Mikan told Nobara about her wonderful times with her grandfather when she was still little and how she used to play under the tree all the time. Although she was speaking in her usual carefree and cheerful tone, Mikan couldn't shake the bad feeling from her heart. She didn't know if she was being paranoid or not, maybe she was, but it felt like as if there was trouble. She became quiet for a while as she stared up at the branches. She put on a peaceful face in order not to worry Nobara. Good thing she was an expert in acting. Acting out roles for the Somatic Class really paid off.

Nobara took her time admiring Mikan with a smile. It was good to see Mikan having such wonderful time in her own home. Back at the academy, she would be either pressured by studies, teachers, her fans, and occasionally, by the Anti-Alice Organization. Nevertheless, Mikan still went through life in the academy happily because of her friends and supporters. "Mikan-chan, if given the choice, do you want to stay here instead of going back to the academy?" she asked.

Mikan turned her head at Nobara. "That's a tough question…" she said, tilting her head sideward and placing a finger on her cheek. "I don't think I can answer that. You see, jii-chan is important to me and I always want to remain by his side. I want to take care of him. But my friends in the academy are also important. You, Natsume, Hotaru, and Ruka-pyon…I love you all. Because of that, I can't really decide."

Of course, Nobara expected such an answer from her. "Mikan-chan, you're really a kind person," she said.

"Well, Nobara-chan is kind too!" Mikan said cheerfully and twirled around like a little girl. "Hey, let's pay the town a visit. I can tour you around and show you to some neat places. What do you say, Nobara-chan?"

It sounded like a great idea. But Nobara wasn't so sure if it would be safe to walk around town. Mikan was still in danger and there could be an Anti-Alice member waiting for them there. In addition to that, 

Natsume and Mikan's grandfather weren't back from their trip to the hardware shop yet. They had to get some things to fix the light bulbs in the house. "We have to wait for Natsume-kun first," she said.

"There's no need!" Mikan took Nobara's hand and smiled widely. "It's just a trip around town. What could go wrong? Besides, I want you to have fun while you're here."

"Mikan-chan…"

"Now, come on!" In her energetic manner, Mikan hauled Nobara away, telling her that she won't be disappointed with her being the tour guide. In addition to that, Mikan promised Nobara that she will definitely introduce her to her old friends. Mikan was sure they would treat Nobara well.

* * *

Feeling panic-stricken and out of breath, Kawashima Asuka banged on her brother's bedroom door. She called out his name loudly, not caring if she was making such a racket. When she heard the news about the recent deaths and sickness, she became awfully worried for her younger brother. She had been knocking on the door for ten minutes and still no answer. She could hear her heart pounding in her chest. All she wanted at that moment was to see her brother. Pulling out a skeleton key from her pocket, she unlocked the door and went inside. To her horror, she found no Kyo around the room. She searched inside the bathroom and still there was no sign of him. Where was Kyo? The anxiety was building up inside her. She was normally an easygoing and cheerful girl, but she can be different when it comes to her brother. There was a momentary feeling of fear. She hoped Kyo wasn't sick or anything. She heard that the sickness going around was incurable.

And then she thought that maybe Kyo was in Ryou's room. She was about to rush out when she saw Kyo standing by the doorway. He had his eyebrow raised and arms crossed in front of his chest. From his expression, Asuka could tell he wanted an explanation from her for barging into his room without permission. But she didn't care about that. She was just happy to see her brother still well. As Kyo asked her why she was in his room, Asuka ran over to him and gave him a hug. It was a surprising thing to do, and Kyo was definitely thinking absurdly of her.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Nee-chan?" Kyo asked in an irritated tone.

Contented with the hug, Asuka looked up at her brother and smirked evilly. "Nothing's wrong with me, my dear sweet brother." Kyo quickly put on an appalled look, and Asuka got annoyed. She unleashed her paper fan and whacked Kyo's head. "You don't seem to like sticking close to me! For your information, Kyo, I don't have cooties or germs. And if you're wondering about the hug… Let's just say that I was only forced to do that."

Kyo rubbed his sore head and grunted. "Forced? You know, sometimes I just don't understand you."

Asuka let out a deep sigh. "Hey…Sorry for hitting you just now…" she said rather softly which surprised Kyo. "The reason why I'm here was because I was worried about you. People are dying and getting sick in this academy and the cause is unknown. I was so worried that something might have happened to you. I had a hard time getting out of the dorm just to come here. But I'm really glad you're okay."

His sister may be stubborn, headstrong, and straightforward, but actually she was a gentle girl who refused to show any weakness in front of others. Kyo was pleased to see how much she worried for him. Truth to be known, Kyo was also worried about her and he was thankful to see his sister well. "Nee-chan, you really are weirder than usual today," he teased, earning a hard cold glare from Asuka. He didn't mind it and just chuckled. "Really weird…"

Asuka pouted cutely and stomped on Kyo's foot hard, making him jump and down. "I am never worrying about you again, you brat!" She stuck out her tongue before she turned her back at Kyo.

"Weird and violent…" Kyo muttered, regaining his composure again. "Anyway, I think it's best for you to stay here for a while. Things are getting hectic around the academy and the teachers have advised all students to stay in their dorms. I just came from Ryou's room and he's doing fine as well."

"I'm glad that guy is okay," Asuka replied. "Regarding about the academy, why do you think this is happening? Obviously, someone is behind this. The Anti-Alice Organization perhaps?"

"Not sure about that. The teachers aren't informing us anything."

"Do you think the students outside the academy are affected too?" Asuka certainly hoped her favorite Mikan-chan was fine.

Kyo cupped his chin, looking unsure, as he thought about Mikan. "Maybe this academy is the only place affected by the plague," he said. "But I can't tell for sure." At some point, he wanted to learn more about what was going on in the academy. He asked his sister if she could help him out, and Asuka immediately agreed.

* * *

The hospital was busy. Nurses and staff were running around, bringing in the equipment, assisting the doctors, and keeping the other patients calm. Some of the nurses have also fallen victim to the sickness and their conditions were getting worse by the minute. Doctors were doing the best they can to come up with a remedy. However, they can't quite explain what was happening. They did examinations on a particular patient with the sickness and they found no viruses inside. The patient was merely having a hard time breathing and sometimes they would cough out blood. Doctors with the Healing Alice have also used their abilities to heal the patients' bodies but it was still no use. It was like their internal organs have gone crazy.

When Imai Subaru emerged from the emergency room, he was immediately confronted by a nurse. The nurse told him that there was a telephone call from the middle school division principal. Subaru had no time to deal with phone calls since the conditions of the patients still concerned him. "Tell her that I'm busy," Subaru said monotonously as he started walking away.

"Wait a minute, doctor," the nurse said. "Hii-sama told me that she's going to tell you something important regarding about your sister."

"My sister?" The first thing that came into his mind was Hotaru getting the sickness as well. He certainly hoped she was fine. And as he placed the phone over his ear, he said," This is Imai speaking…"

"Please listen to what I am about to say," Hii-sama started, her voice deep and firm. Subaru had a bad feeling all of a sudden. "Your little sister…She committed an unforgivable crime. She killed a total of seven students, and five of them are from the elementary division."

Subaru's eyes grew wide in surprise as he grasped on the phone tightly. "Principal, you must be mistaken," he said, maintaining his monotonous voice. "That girl would never do something this low." Of course, as her older brother, Subaru knew Hotaru from head to toe. His sister may be weird and aloof, but she was not a bad person.

"But she did," Hii-sama said, "and she's being punished as we speak. I know it's very hard to believe, but it's the truth. Your sister is a murderer now and we have proof." After saying that, she hung up the phone.

The young doctor just stood there in silence. He was too stunned to even blink. While the other hospital staffs were running here and there, Subaru thought of his little sister. If he was dreaming then he wished to be awakened. He found it hard to indulge the murderous act of his sister. He wanted to see Hotaru right away and asked her himself. He didn't want to believe that Hotaru could do such a thing unless he hears it from Hotaru herself. However, as a doctor, he had a responsibility in the hospital. At that very moment, a lot of patients were suffering. He couldn't just leave. As he marched back into the emergency room, he busied himself with the patients again. No one could really tell, from the look on his emotionless face, that he was actually concerned and troubled at the moment.

The number of patients was increasing by an hour. At least, there weren't any news on deaths anymore. Probably because the suspect was already captured, but still the middle school principal informed him that Hotaru only killed seven people. Subaru had heard that there were more deaths than that. For sure Hotaru wasn't the only one causing the deaths. Someone with a twisted mind was behind this, he thought, and that someone might have framed Hotaru.

"Ugh…This girl won't stop struggling," one of the nurses said, trying to strapped down a middle school girl. One look at the girl and Subaru immediately recognized her. It was none other than Umenomiya Anna, one of Hotaru's Technical Class friends. She was also the best friend of Nonoko, which happened to be his assistant. Anna was currently shouting in pain and tears streamed down her cheeks endlessly. Her wavy pink hair was all messed up. "Please calm down…" the nurse said, but Anna kept on kicking and screaming.

Subaru couldn't take the girl's suffering anymore. He injected her with anesthetic and within seconds, she went to a deep sleep. "Check her vital signs and report it to me afterwards," he said coldly to the nurses and walked away. When he exited the emergency room, two hospital attendants, pushing a trolley bed with a dead boy on it, passed by in a hurry. Subaru narrowed his eyes at the sight and clenched his fists tight. What was really going on in the academy? What has it come to this?"

"Imai-sensei!!" a familiar voice called his attention. The one who called him was his assistant, Ogasawara Nonoko, and she had a bag full of potions in her arms. She was panting pretty hard. "I'm sorry if I didn't come to help out earlier. When I heard the bad news, I decided to make healing potions. I don't know if it'll work, but I wanted to do something for those who are suffering."

"Ogasawara-san…" Subara was pleased to see the effort she was putting in order to save her fellow students. However, he was hesitant to tell her about her best friend's condition. It appeared that she wasn't informed yet.

"Sensei, I'm ready to help you out in anything," Nonoko said with a determined face. "I'll do whatever you tell me to do."

Subaru let out a silent sigh. "Before that, I think you have the right to know about this…" His stoic exterior didn't change one bit as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Your friend, Umenomiya-san, has caught the sickness as well. She's in the emergency room right now being treated."

In an instant, Nonoko paled and crumbled to the floor. "Anna-chan…Anna-chan is…sick…?" she stuttered, holding onto the bag of potions tightly. "I…I didn't know…So that's why I can't find her anywhere in the dorm." She was shaking up.

"Get a hold of yourself," Subaru said, extending his hand to help her. "You have to stay strong for your friend." Nonoko looked up at him, her eyes nearing to tears, and took hold of his hand. Subaru pulled her up and took the bag of potions from her. "I appreciate these, Ogasawara-san. I'm sure they'll be helpful."

Nonoko clasped her hands against her chest and closed her eyes in anxiety. "Imai-sensei, will Anna-chan be all right? I've heard that this sickness is not caused by any virus at all and there's still no cure." She looked up at him again and this time, the tears have started to fall. "Imai-sensei, if Anna-chan will…if she'll…"

"I will do my best to find a cure," Subaru said. Though his heart ached upon seeing the tears on her face, his expression remained stoic. "For now, I suggest you head back to your dorm and stay there. It's for your own safety. You might catch this sickness as well."

"But I want to help out," Nonoko said. "I also want to stay at Anna-chan's side."

Subaru firmly shook his head. "I understand your concerns, but it's too risky for you to stay here," he said. "Go back to your dorm and leave the rest to me. I'll take care of your friend." Enough said, Subaru went back inside the emergency room, leaving the chemist girl to be more worried than before.

* * *

The town may be small but it was a nice place to be at. Everyone there was very pleasant. Mikan was very famous around her neighborhood, and the people were happy to see their brunette angel again. Class was still in session in her old school, so none of her classmates were around town. The people greeted Mikan with a heart-warming welcome, and Mikan offered them her smiles and cheery greetings. She didn't fail to introduce her friend Nobara to them. Of course, Nobara, being so timid and shy, felt kind of awkward meeting new people, but Mikan made her feel less nervous. They stopped by a lot of shops and Mikan showed Nobara to her favorite restaurant where she used to dine with Hotaru. Mikan even treated Nobara there. In the end, the two girls had a lot of fun.

As they walked back home hand-in-hand, Sora, the mechanical bird, flew towards Mikan and landed on her head. "Sora, what are you doing here?" she asked. "I thought I told you to stay in the house."

"Sora is so cute," Nobara said, patting its little head. "The name suits it."

"Thanks…I named him myself." She let the little bird perched on her hand and positioned it in front of her face. "Sora, are Natsume and jii-chan home yet?" she asked, and Sora nodded its head in reply. Mikan suddenly felt like she was going to get scolded by Natsume. Well, she wasn't able to tell him where they were going since Natsume went out with her grandfather. So, technically, he can't really blame her, she thought.

The moment they reached the front of the house, someone suddenly called Mikan's attention. "Hey, lil' brat!"

That voice?! Mikan recognized it. She quickly turned in the direction of the voice. A tall man with shoulder length black hair walked toward her. His eyes were hidden behind the shades. Even so, he looked handsome and cool in his outfit, which composed of a dark-blue shirt overlapped with a black jacket, black pants, and shiny black shoes.

"It's been a while, lil' brat," he said when she didn't respond. He removed his shades and showed off his flirty smile at the two girls.

Gasping in surprise, Mikan lunged at him and gave him a big hug. She couldn't believe it. The charming man was her senior who she hadn't seen in months. "Tono-senpai, I've missed you so much!" she exclaimed, pushing herself back to face him. "How you've been? How's your job? Do you have a new girlfriend again? I have so much to talk to you."

Giving her a pat on the head, Tono leaned down and placed a kiss on her temple. "You talk too much, brat," he said in a suave voice. "But I kinda missed your voice and your cute face. You know, you're growing into a fine lady, Mikan." He cupped Mikan's chin with one hand and brushed her silky hair with the other. With his eyes locked onto her innocent ones, he went for a kiss on her lips.

Nobara clamped her mouth and muttered, "I don't think this is a good idea…"

Out of the blue, a shoe flew towards Tono and hit his side of the face, stopping him from kissing Mikan. Well, he wasn't actually planning to kiss her. He just wanted to tease her. Tono was very popular during his days as a student, especially to the girls. He has a penchant for beautiful and cute girls. He was quite fond of Mikan as well. Irritated, Tono turned in the direction to where the shoe came from and saw Natsume. "So, the other brat is here…" he said, regaining composure. "And I see you're still overprotective with little Mikan here." He draped his arm over Mikan's shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

Natsume was already burning in jealousy. He was tempted to burn Tono from the moment he saw him attempting to kiss Mikan. Damn, the guy sure knew how to annoy the hell out of him. "Get away from her or else…" he threatened.

"Tsk…Remember, you can't use your Alice carelessly around here," Tono said, rubbing his cheek against Mikan's. "You don't want to disobey the rules." He chuckled.

"Tono-senpai, that tickles," Mikan said with a giggle.

Clenching his fists and resisting the urge to use his Alice, Natsume moved steadily towards Tono and glared at him with furious red eyes. "Get away from her right now," he said, and Tono stuck out his tongue at him. A vein popped out of Natsume's head. "You bastard…I ought to…"

Nobara didn't want any trouble, so she quickly grabbed Tono and pulled him away from Mikan. "Um…erm…why don't I show you around? I'm sure it's your first time here, right?" she spoke nervously.

Although Tono would love to tease Natsume more, he was weak against beautiful girls like Nobara, so he immediately agreed to go with her.

And when Tono and Nobara left, Mikan looked at Natsume and noticed the angry look on his face. Mikan didn't know why he didn't like Tono so much. He didn't need to worry about Tono acting so close to her because they were only good friends. "Natsume…" she called him, and when he looked at her, she ruffled his hair as if he was a pup and laughed out loud. "You should stop having that scary expression all the time. It's not cute at all."

Natsume pinched her cheek hard. "Whose fault do you think it is, polka-dots?" he said in a rough tone. "I told you not to stick too close with other guys, but you never listen."

"Hey, that hurts…" Mikan said with a pout as she rubbed her sore cheek. "Tono-senpai is not some other guy, you know. He's my senior, just like Tsubasa-senpai."

"Tch…You're so naïve." Natsume cupped her chin with his hand and leaned closer to her face. "That particular senior of yours tried to kiss you earlier and you act like you're fine with it. Do you have any idea how I felt about it? No guys are allowed to touch these lips of yours except me. I hope you drill it into that thick skull of yours, polka-dots."

"You get jealous so easily, Natsume," she said, and Natsume placed a finger on her lips to prevent her from talking further. A smirk for a smile, Natsume slowly brought down his lips on hers. Mikan couldn't resist him as usual, so she just let him deepened the kiss ever more.

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: Natsume and Mikan have no idea what's going on in the academy. They will be informed sooner or later. Aya's plan will become a lot clearer in the next chapter. I was really disturbed when I wrote Hotaru's part here. But remember that she's being controlled, so technically it's not really her fault. I'm a rather sadistic person and I've been thinking of deaths a lot recently. Well, it's probably because I read so many suspense books. Anyway, I couldn't resist making Natsume jealous again and Tono-senpai was doing a good job at it. The Kawashima siblings will play major roles in the future chapters. That's all for now. Please review. No flaming.


	35. Scarlet Tears

JC: Let's see how much trouble our characters will get into here. Like I said in the previous chapter, the Kawashima siblings are going to play more roles. Since Nonoko got manipulated by Aya, expect some romance between her and Kyo later on. I don't know if I should get a guy for Asuka. Maybe I should pair her up with an older guy. What do you think? Anyway, I don't want to waste my time in the intro. Let's get on with the story.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 35: Scarlet Tears

_A little girl was crying. She was all alone in the park, sitting under a tree, as her face was buried in her palms. She was lonely and afraid. Her parents had passed away and no one would take her in. She was left alone in a cruel world. How was she going to survive all by herself? She was just seven-years old. Hugging her knees, she looked up at the sky with her scarlet-red eyes as tears kept streaming down her face. A strong wind blew swiftly, whipping her short brown hair about. Dark clouds were looming over her and soon rain begun to fall. It seemed like the heavens were crying with her. The tree was not enough to shield her from the rain and she found herself getting soaked. The little girl felt more miserable than before and only cried louder. _

_Just then, the rain seemed to stop falling on her. She could still hear the rain pouring, but she wasn't getting wet anymore. As she looked up, she saw a child about the same age as her, holding an umbrella for her. The child had two pigtails on each side tied with lovely white ribbons and she had the smile of an angel. _

"_You must have a reason for being this sad," the pigtailed girl said, taking a seat beside her. "But it's more painful to cry if you're all alone, so I'll stay here with you. Let all of your feelings out until you feel better, okay?" _

Aya jarred her eyes open at the sound of footsteps. Here she thought she could have a peaceful slumber on the tree branch without being spotted by anyone. But her subordinate, Ruka, was able to find her quickly. Surely, he used his animals to help him. She looked down at the blonde boy, her scarlet eyes as cold as ever. "I hope you have a good reason for disturbing me, Nogi-san," she muttered, twirling some of her silver hair. "You woke me up from a good dream."

Ruka leaned his back against the tree and slid down to the ground. "The academy is in chaos, just like you expected," he said, brushing his hand through his hair. "Imai was heavily punished this morning and is still being questioned. Over twenty students are afflicted with the sickness."

"I stopped spreading the sickness when I went to sleep here," Aya replied, jumping down and landing gracefully on the ground.

"Aya-san, you defeated Narumi-sensei a while ago, right?" Ruka gazed upon her with lifeless blue eyes. And when Aya nodded her head in reply, he asked, "Where have you taken him? He was reported missing, and my classmates are pretty worried about him. Don't tell me you killed him off?"

Sighing in frustration, Aya crossed her arms over her chest. At the time she was beating up Narumi-sensei, her kinder side tried to overpower her. As much as she wanted to kill Narumi, her other side persisted and stopped her. In the end, she only managed to cause severe injuries to the teacher. Afterwards, she decided to teleport him back to the organization using a very powerful teleportation stone. "I didn't kill him," she said coldly. "I just sent him over to Ani-sama as a present. I'm sure Ani-sama will take care of him."

Ruka raised a brow. "You didn't kill him?" he said, sounding a little bit surprised. "Are you getting soft, Aya-san? I always thought you were heartless."

"Shut it!" Aya shot him a glare as she placed a clenched hand on her waist. "I think that teacher would be useful to the organization, which is why I sent him over there as a present. And I'm not getting soft."

"I see…" Ruka stood up and brushed off some grass bits from his pants. "Then shall we proceed to the next phase of your plan?"

Aya's lips curved into a sinister grin. "It's time to make Imai-san's life a living hell," she said, laughing mockingly.

"Are you going to use Hibiki or Nonoko-chan?" Ruka asked, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Or will it be me, Aya-san? I wouldn't mind it. I would love to give that Imai a taste of hell."

"The darkness inside of you, Nogi-san, is really strong," Aya said, poking his chest playfully with her finger. "I've only manipulated the teeny bit of hatred you had for Imai-san and it transformed into something big. I never expected that. I guess you wanted to get back at that stupid Imai-san for so long, huh? The hatred you're showing right now is something that you kept locked up in your heart. I understand your enthusiasm to destroy her, but you have to be patient, Nogi-san. I am still saving you for the grand finale. For the next phase, I'm going to use Hibiki Ryou. His Alice of Magnetism is needed."

Ruka grunted and turned his head away. "Tch…It can't be helped then," he said, gritting his teeth. "I'll just have to wait."

Aya reached for his face and pressed her temple against his. She had to stand on her toes to reach his level. "That's right…You'll have to wait. After all of this is done, you will get to spend the rest of your life with the girl you love. She's all you ever wanted. Because of that, you're willing to get rid of your best friend." She pulled herself away from him and caressed his cheek with one hand. "Nogi-san, remember that I am your accomplice. I am going to help you achieve what you want and you're going to help me achieve what I want."

"_I'll stay here with you …"_

Withdrawing her hand, she turned around and walked away from Ruka.

"_Let all of your feelings out until you feel better, okay?" _

She used to be weak and a crybaby as a child. Even after her parents died, she still didn't change. But after meeting the pigtailed girl with an angelic smile, Aya swore to herself that she'll become stronger. She swore that she will never drown in sadness again.

* * *

"What a day!"

"And how," Kyo agreed with his sister. "It was kinda hard to investigate around the school in secret. It's a good thing your creations are dependable. Still, it was risky for us. We don't have any idea what the sickness is and we went out of our way to look for the cause. I guess we're pretty reckless. Isn't that right, Nee-chan?"

"You bet!" Asuka took off her gadgets, which were in the form of bracelets, earrings and a necklace, with a sigh of relief. "But we didn't learn much from our little expedition around the campus." She flopped down on her big bed and buried her face in one of her pillows.

Kyo took a seat on the sofa. "The sickness has stopped spreading late in the afternoon," he said, cupping his chin with his hand, thinking very carefully. "There are a total of twenty-five students afflicted with the sickness. So far so good, no one is dying from it. However, the victims are suffering a lot." He leaned back on his seat, letting out a frustrated sigh.

The older Kawashima sat up on the bed and looked at her brother seriously. "Don't you think it's weird for the sickness to suddenly stop spreading?" she said. "It's like the sickness is controlled or something."

"I was thinking of the same thing. The medical team of the academy is still unsuccessful in finding a cure. Healings Alices are no good either." His heterochromatic eyes suddenly went wide. "I almost forgot! Umenomiya-san was also one of the victims and she's Nonoko's best friend. Nonoko is probably worried sick right now." He dashed to the door and reached out for the knob.

Just then, Asuka used a golden lasso to stop her brother from leaving. "We're not yet done talking, Kyo," she said. "Besides, you can't just walk out of my room like that. Remember, the academy is at high alert and students aren't exactly free to do whatever they want. The guards will be suspicious if they see you here in the high school dorm." She pulled on the lasso hard and made Kyo fall on the floor.

Kyo groaned and glared at his sister. "You don't have to be so rough," he said, and Asuka just smirked at him. "Come on, let me go! I have to go see Nonoko. She might be crying right now. She won't be able to sleep properly tonight because of what happened to Umenomiya-san." He was able to talk without falter.

Asuka released him from her lasso and knelt down to his level. She gave him a smile and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You really care for Ogasawara-san," she said. "You must be in love with her."

Blushing madly, Kyo lowered his gaze from his sister. "I…I'm not in love with her…" he said in a stuttering voice. "S-She's m-my friend…It's…only natural for me…to care for her…" His heart was thumping fast and he felt like it was going jump out any minute.

Ruffling his hair till it was messy, Asuka pinched his cheek hard and got him back on his feet by pulling his ear. Of course, Kyo winced in pain, but Asuka didn't care. "You should hurry up and realize your feelings soon, brat," she said. "You've already given up your love for my cute Mikan-chan and you only idolize her now. What you have there for Ogasawara Nonoko is different and special."

"I understand, Nee-chan," he muttered, "but you have to give me some time to think about it." With the current crisis the academy was facing, he knew he should think more of a way to solve the problem rather than thinking of his feelings for Nonoko.

Asuka patted his back before sitting down on her bed. "Kyo, you're a genius, yet you're naïve at the same time," she said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Anyway, going back to the problem at hand… I think we should continue investigating tomorrow. But I am planning on making rounds around the campus tonight."

Kyo's heterochromatic eyes went wide. "Don't do things on your own, Nee-chan!" he uttered, grasping her shoulders tightly. "What if you'll get hurt?!"

"Who do you think you're talking to here, brat?" Asuka said grimly, narrowing her eyes at him. "You don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself. Besides, I'm going to use my spy equipment. They're quite handy."

"Nee-chan, I know you're completely confident in everything you do, but I'm not so keen with the idea of you going alone at night to patrol around the campus."

"Oh, I'm not the only one who's going to do some work later." Asuka's eyes seemed to have their usual mischievous glint which worried Kyo. And as she stood up with an iron fist, she pointed a finger at Kyo and said, "You're going to patrol all dormitories!"

Kyo's raised an eyebrow. "What? Are you nuts?" He raked his platinum-blue hair uneasily. "Nee-chan, it's too risky. Even if I use your gadgets, there's no guarantee of what would happen. Aside from the sickness, the recent deaths of people are rather intimidating. I'm sure you're aware of that. Someone in this academy is definitely a crazy serial killer."

"We're still going to do it whether you like it or not," Asuka said with a shrug. "And about the murders… The whole academy already knows about Imai Hotaru's crimes. Not only did she kill two boys who harassed her, she also took the innocent lives of elementary students. I know Imai is weird and indifferent, but I don't really think she's the type of girl to commit murder. It's so unlike her. What do you think, Kyo?"

"I agree with you on that," Kyo replied. "Plus, Imai-san is Mikan-sama's best friend."

"I wonder what Mikan-chan will do if she finds out about this."

"From our investigation, Imai-san was questioned and punished several times. She had only admitted that she killed two boys. But a mind-reader exposed the truth and told the teachers that Imai-san killed the elementary students as well. The teachers kept asking her if she had an accomplice, but she refused to talk. And reports say that she wasn't controlled by any kind of Alice."

Asuka scratched her head in frustration and lay down on the bed. "This is giving me a serious headache," she grumbled. "I don't want to think badly of Imai but…"

"Nee-chan, let's do our best to find out the truth," Kyo said, walking towards the door. "I don't want Nonoko, Mikan-sama, Ryou, and you to get hurt because of this plague." He had reached for the door knob and slowly twisted it to open the door.

Asuka smiled gently and closed her eyes. When Kyo left the room, she opened her eyes and placed the back of her hand against her temple. "Kyo, you're such a nice guy," she said. "I'm lucky to have you as my brother. Aside from Mikan-chan and that darn Ryou, you're also the reason why I want to end this plague right way. If something were to happen to you, I don't know what I'll do." Yes, Kyo was her most important person in her heart. She would even be willing to give up her life just for his sake. He was her one and only little brother.

* * *

On the following day, Natsume wasn't at all happy. For the whole freaking morning, a handsome ladies-man, who goes by the name of Tonouichi Akira, kept on bugging him as if it was his favorite hobby. After waking up to a bright and beautiful morning, the guy immediately hauled Mikan away and asked her if he could spend the next hours with her. Mikan, being the naïve and sweet girl she was, didn't refuse her senior and went out with him around town after eating breakfast. Natsume refused to let them spend time together alone, so he tagged along and tried to get him away from his girlfriend as far as possible. However, Tono was really clingy to Mikan and he just loved to tease Natsume. The flame-caster really wanted to use his Alice badly on Tono. Sadly, he was forbidden to do so. As if Tono wasn't enough, Natsume had also kept some random boys in town away from Mikan by simply glaring at them. He appeared to be more of a bodyguard than a boyfriend, and it seemed like Mikan and Tono were the couple. It just irked him so much.

It was about noon time that Tono decided to go back to Mikan's humble home. He wanted to try more of Mikan's cooking than to eat out in town. He had to admit that Mikan's hometown was a nice place to live in. There were several cute girls he met in town and almost all of them were interested in him. When some girls, love-struck and all, asked for his number and e-mail address, he happily told them.

"Tono-senpai, let's go to my old school tomorrow," Mikan told her senior as they've reached the living room of her house. "I bet my friends would love to see you."

"Are they cute like you?" Tono said, bringing his face closer to hers, obviously making a certain raven-haired boy jealous again.

Mikan tilted her head a little to the side and smiled cheerfully. "I'm sure you'll like them," she said.

Natsume didn't bother hiding his raging emotions any longer. He was so jealous he practically shoved Tono away from Mikan. "Don't get so close, idiot," he told Tono in a rough tone. He then grabbed Mikan by the wrist and brought her outside. Once there, he pinned her against the door and glared at her with his crimson eyes. "I don't know what to do with you anymore." His voice was as cold as ice.

Mikan had no idea why Natsume was angry. She was sure she and Tono didn't do anything wrong, so why was he all worked up? He even acted so rudely to her senior. She wanted to reprimand him about that, but she couldn't find herself talking. Somehow, she felt a little intimidated looking at his eyes. "Natsume…you're pretty scary…" she muttered under her breath, sporting an awkward smile.

As expected, his girlfriend had no clue about what he was feeling at the moment. He can't blame her for being so clueless and overly friendly with other guys. He wished she would realize how annoying it was for him to see her together with other guys. "Don't act so normal when he touches you," he said, "especially in front of me."

"Natsume…" Mikan's amber eyes softened, though she still doesn't understand his problem completely. After all, Tono was her senior. Things like hugging him and pecking him on the cheek were perfectly normal for the both of them. They've been so used to it since she was ten. "What do you want me to do? Tell me, Natsume, how should I act when he touches me?"

He didn't have a ready answer for her. He simply turned his head away and clenched both hands. When Mikan asked him again, he stayed silent and walked away from her in a hurry. Mikan was going to follow him, but Natsume told her to leave him alone. He needed some time to clear his head and his heart. With his current state, he was sure he won't be able to have a proper conversation with Mikan.

"Don't try to avoid me, Natsume," she said, following right behind him. "Just tell me your problem. Did I do something wrong again?"

Natsume suddenly stopped on his tracks, and Mikan bumped into him. Peering over his shoulders, he glanced at his girlfriend and flicked her forehead hard, causing her to flinch. "I told you to leave me alone, polka-dots." Seizing the chance, he quickly ran away from her.

"Hey, come back here!" Mikan exclaimed, going after him in a rapid pace. She managed to catch up with him easily, but due to her clumsiness, she tripped and fell down on the ground. "Ouch…that hurts…" She sat up on the ground, her face a little covered with dirt.

He stopped and spun around to see his girlfriend wiping her face with her arm. She looked like a little girl who can't even clean herself properly. Nevertheless, she was adorable in his eyes. Kneeling down in front of her, he poked her temple. "You're such a klutz, polka-dots," he said nonchalantly.

The brunette pouted and folded her arms. "Well, excuse me for being a klutz," she said. "I wouldn't have tripped if you didn't run away from me. What's your deal anyway? Why did you get mad at me? It's not like I did something wrong."

It was true. She didn't do anything wrong. He was the one with the jealousy issues. He knew how much he meant to her, but he still gets easily jealous. He has this overprotective side that he couldn't control. What can he do? Yes, he was normally a reserved person, but it was also in his nature to be obsessed with his girlfriend. "I'm not mad," he belatedly replied, helping her back on her feet. He wiped the dirt beside her lip and caressed her face a bit. "I just don't want you sticking around with that stupid Tono all the time."

Mikan's eyes grew wide. "Natsume…"she muttered before her lips curved into a mischievous smile. "Don't tell me you were jealous of Tono-senpai again?"

Did she only realize that now? Natsume mentally cursed her innocence. "What do you think? Huh?" He shrugged as he rolled his eyes away from her. "Polka-dots, you're really slow."

"So, you were jealous!" Mikan giggled. She was kind of happy with that fact. Some girls just loved seeing their guys getting jealous. It showed them how much the guys loved them. Nonoko and Anna told her this once before. "No wonder you were irritated with Tono-senpai more than usual. But you don't have to get jealous of him, Natsume. He's my senior. He and I are nothing but good friends."

"He's an idiot," Natsume grumbled, still not looking at Mikan. "He touches you whenever he pleases. For crying out loud, you're not ten anymore. He's an adult already and you just let him cling to you like a leech."

"Natsume, he's just like Tsubasa-senpai," Mikan replied in her cheerful tone. "I don't mind if he clings to me. Even though I'm already fourteen, I still love to hug Tono-senpai."

He placed a hand on his temple and sighed in frustration. "You just don't get it, do you?" Mikan tilted her head in confusion, as he turned his head to look at her. "Sometimes I do wonder how you beat me in terms of grades."

Mikan gave him a big smile. "That's because I study hard!" she happily said. "I'm not a genius like you and Hotaru, so I work hard in order to be successful. You know what they say. Those who work hard will always be rewarded in the end."

Well, his girlfriend was certainly a hard worker, which was one of the reasons why he and most of the students in the academy, especially the boys, admired her. But Natsume still considered her innocence a problem, seeing that she can't even tell why he didn't want Tono touching her. "I know that already," he said. "You don't have to brag about yourself."

"I wasn't bragging, Natsume," she defended.

"Whatever…" He took a step forward, cupped her chin in instant, and brought his lips down to hers. He only kissed her for a short while, about ten seconds or so, and smirked in triumph as he gazed upon her startled face. "Didn't see that coming? Huh? Ichigo-kara…" After speaking, he moved past her and went back to the house again.

Mikan lowered her head as she touched her lips. "That Natsume…" she said. "He always does this…And he even called me…Eh? WHAT?! Did he…?!" She spun around on her heels, faced the house, and clenched her fists tight. "NATSUME, I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! YOU'RE THE BIGGEST PERVERT EVER!!" And a lot of birds flew away at the sound of her deafening voice.

Tono and Nobara knew Natsume had done something perverted to Mikan again and they were quite used to it. However, Grandfather Sakura approached them and asked them what Mikan was yelling about. Tono assured him it was nothing and that he should go back to what he was doing. The old man then questioned if Natsume harassed Mikan, and it was Nobara this time who answered him. She told him that Mikan and Natsume were having their usual arguments and they would make up right away. The grandfather was convinced with her answer and left the two alone.

The amplifier sighed in relief. "Natsume, that brat…" he muttered. "He has got to stop harassing little Mikan."

"What can we do?" Nobara said with a giggle. "Natsume-kun is just being Natsume-kun around Mikan-chan."

* * *

It was strange. It wasn't because the sickness and deaths have stopped. It was because a certain person didn't seem to be around. Kawashima Kyo had searched for Ogasawara Nonoko for the whole morning. He had checked her room and found no one there, although he felt bad for barging in without permission, and he had also tried her laboratory. He wanted to see Nonoko. He wasn't able to visit her last night, because the guards were heavily guarding the whole dorm. It would be bad for him if he got caught. "Where are you, Nonoko?" he asked as he walked down the hallways of the middle school division building.

As he reached the chemistry lab, he finally found her at last. But she wasn't alone. She was with Sugita Aya. He greeted the two girls politely with a charming smile. Nonoko simply greeted him back as her face flushed up a little, while Aya timidly returned a smile. Kyo remembered Aya to be a shy-type of girl.

"So, what are you girls doing here?" Kyo asked.

"I came here looking for a particular chemical agent for my medicine," Nonoko replied, her smile slowly turning upside down. "You see, I'm trying to come up with a medicine that would cure this unknown sickness."

Aya clamped a hand on her own arm and slowly dug her fingers in her skin. She looked quite as upset as Nonoko. "Ogasawara-san is going to do her best. I want to help her out, which is why I'm here." She looked up at Kyo, anxiety written all over her face. Her big round orbs seemed like they were about to sprout tears any minute.

Kyo placed a hand on Nonoko's shoulder and tilted her chin up with his finger, making her look at him. "Nonoko, you're a great chemist," he said. "I'm sure you'll be able to come up with a cure. I know you're not going to give up easily, because you want to save your best friend. Umenomiya-san is doing her best right now, trying to endure the sickness."

The young chemist girl trembled a bit in nervousness. "I don't want Anna-chan to suffer further," she said.

Kyo held her hands and squeezed them firmly yet gently. "Nonoko, be brave…" he said. "I'm sure everything will be all right." Seeing Nonoko so worried made Kyo wanted to work harder and find the cause of the plague as soon as possible.

Unknown to Kyo, the real enemy was standing right beside him. Sugita Aya was only a false identity. Even though she was maintaining an innocent and concerned look on the outside, her twisted personality inside was actually laughing maniacally. Everyone in the academy had no idea how and where the sickness started, and the deaths of people were all being blamed on Hotaru. Her plan was going as smoothly as she expected, and she wanted to do more damage to the academy. It was for the sake of the organization, the sake of her beloved Ani-sama, and for the sake of her own happiness.

Due to her individual experiences in the past, the one thing she feared the most was to be left alone in pain and sadness. Losing her parents took a big toll in her heart when she was still a wee child, and if it weren't for the little pigtailed girl, she wouldn't have the will to move forward.

"_You must have a reason for being this sad," the pigtailed girl said, taking a seat beside her. "But it's more painful to cry if you're all alone, so I'll stay here with you. Let all of your feelings out until you feel better, okay?" _

_Scarlet eyes stained with tears, she only cried louder and pushed herself against the brunette girl. She didn't want to be alone. She was afraid of what the future has in stored for her. She didn't want to know what was going to happen to her tomorrow. If it was possible, she desired to go back in time to save her parents from dying. Yet, she could only dream. _

_She stopped her sobbing as soon as she heard the brunette singing a lovely song. Her voice, though she spoke with a Kansai accent, was very beautiful and melodious. Somehow, her voice eased her troubled heart and soul. She continued listening to the song quietly and before she knew it, her tears have ceased coming out. _

"_You stopped crying!" the brunette said chirpily. "That's great. You know what? I bet you'll look a lot better with a smile. So, why don't you smile for me?" _

Aya closed her eyes and smiled at the memory. The pigtailed girl of the past was the only person who comforted her and stayed with her until she felt better. She was, nevertheless, an amazingly kind girl, and Aya was so glad to have met her. As she opened her eyes again, one of her eyes had changed to the color scarlet. She then turned her head away to avoid letting Kyo see her eye. Damn, was she losing control over herself? Why do her eyes seem to change every now and then, especially if she drops her guard for only a split second? Something doesn't add up. And what was more surprising was the fact her now scarlet eye was sprouting tears. What the heck was wrong with her?

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: Expect a big fight in the next chapter, and someone from inside the academy is going to the Anti-Alice Organization. Narumi-sensei is already in the AAO's clutches, but you guys don't know about his condition, right? If you're looking for Youichi, he has been sent home because of the Honor Student Award, so he's safe from the sickness. Should I reveal Aya's true Alices or not? I'm planning to keep it as a major surprise for everyone. I've revealed bits of Aya's past here. I know it's fairly easy to guess about the girl who comforted Aya. And, as usual, a jealous Natsume and a naïve Mikan make my day perfect. That's all for now. Make sure to leave some reviews. No flaming.


	36. The Traitors and the Protectors

JC: There are going to be fights here. Aya has turned out to be one heck of an antagonist. Still, I love her to bits! I know some of you hate her so much. It can't be helped.

Note (reminder): Kyo looks like Syaoran Li from Card Captor Sakura, only he has platinum-blue hair and heterochromatic eyes (red and green). Ryou has the same hairstyle as Athrun Zala, and his hair his dark with green eye lights that matches well with his hazel eyes. Last, but not the least, Asuka look a lot like the long-haired Suzumiya Haruhi, but her hair and eye color is the same as Kyo's.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 36: The Traitors and the Protectors

In chilly silence, Hibiki Ryou walked to the prison cell of the recent murderer of the academy, which was none other than the inventor, Imai Hotaru. He had no trouble sneaking in, since Aya took out the guards without breaking a sweat and disabled the security systems, and his Alice of Magnetism was really handy when you want to break in. It was a quarter to one. It was almost time to cause the big commotion. Reaching the prison door, he pulled out a card key he got from a guard a while ago and swiped it through the card slot. He inputted the right code and after that, the door slid open. He went inside the dim-lighted room and saw the prisoner sitting in the middle of the room, strapped in with Alice-proof chains. She had bruises all over her body and slight burns. Ryou guessed that she was punished a lot. In addition to that, she no longer had any stars on her uniform.

He approached her quietly and pulled out a Baka Gun from his coat. "Let's see if this invention of yours really works," he muttered. When he aimed the invention at Hotaru, it immediately fired with a loud 'Baka!' and the bullet hit Hotaru's forehead. "Woah…That must've hurt…" He chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

The inventor moaned as she slowly opened her eyes. Whatever hit her was painful. She looked up at Ryou and saw her invention in his hand. "That's…What are you doing with my invention, idiot?" she icily said.

Ryou shrugged and crossed his arms. "You're the idiot here, since you got hit by your Baka Gun," he said with a wide smirk. "Anyway, I'm here to bust you out of here. I know you remember Aya-san's plans."

Hotaru rolled her eyes away. "Why don't you just shut up and free me from these chains?" she said nonchalantly. "This is way too uncomfortable for me."

He was certainly getting pissed at her. "I took a big risk just to rescue you from here and you still have the nerve to talk to me like that." He shook his head in dismay. "What a bitchy character you have, Imai. I never liked you from the beginning."

She narrowed her amethyst eyes at him. "Keep talking and you might end up getting humiliated, Hibiki," she said. "Does blackmailing sound good to you?" She was, after all, the Blackmailing Queen of the academy.

Ryou wasn't the least bit scared of her blackmails. Well, if it was the regular Ryou, he would show some fear, but he was currently under Aya's control. "Imai, you're really a freak," Ryou said, unlocking the chains around Hotaru. "You owe me big time for this."

"You were only ordered by our leader, so I don't owe you anything," Hotaru smartly said, and Ryou glared hard at her. She just glared back at him and grabbed the Baka Gun away. "I believe this belongs to me." As she aimed the Baka Gun at him, it automatically fired a bullet and hit his temple, whipping his head back.

"You moron!" he uttered after straightening up. "What did you do that for?"

Hotaru put away her invention and folded her arms in front of her chest. "That was for hitting me a while ago," she replied indifferently. Ryou was about to utter a string of cursed words at her, but Hotaru cut him off immediately. "We don't have time for your nonsense. We have more important things to do. Remember, failure is not an option. If we don't do our work right, we'll get punished by our leader."

"I already know that," Ryou said, ruffling his shiny dark hair.

Without further ado, the two of them rushed outside and went through the forest to reach the main gate of Alice Academy. There were two Alice security guards watching the gate, so they couldn't just walk out of the academy easily. Then they went up a big tree located near the walls and met up with Aya and Ruka there.

Aya showed off a cunning smile when she saw her two minions and stood up on the branch. "Well done, Hibiki-san," she said, placing one hand on her waist, as she approached Ryou. "You've brought Imai-san here without any problems. I knew it was wise to use you to break into the cell."

"Thanks…But I couldn't have gotten in without your help," Ryou said.

"I only did what was needed," she replied before shifting her eyes on Hotaru. "Imai-san, how did the interrogation go? I trust it was a painful experience for you."

Hotaru kept up her stoic expression, even though she was irritated inside. "I was shocked by lightning and got beaten up by students who were close friends with the ones I killed. Of course, it was a painful experience for me. What do you expect?" She spoke in a very sarcastic tone. "Not only was I punished physically, I also got demoted to No Star."

Aya laughed maniacally yet happily until her stomach hurt. She bent down a little, holding her stomach, as she kept on laughing at Hotaru. The two boys present were just watching her without a care in the world, while Hotaru had the urge to fire her with invention. "No Star is the perfect star rank for you, Imai-san," she said, pointing a finger at Hotaru. "In fact, you're not fit to be a student here at all. But we're not going to accept you in the AAO either. You're just a mere tool for me. Once I'm done with you, I'll give Nogi-san here the pleasure of killing you. I hope you're prepared for that."

"I am prepared for anything," Hotaru answered with a straight face. "It's not like I have a choice now."

"Good…" Aya looked over at Ruka, her smirk becoming more sinister. "Phase 1 is done. Time for you to start phase 2, Nogi-san."

Ruka blew his whistle and summoned one of his trusted animal friends, the great eagle. Once the eagle landed on the branch beside him, he greeted it with a smile and brushed his hand through its feathers. He told the eagle everything it had to do, before he turned to glare at Hotaru. "Imai, don't mess things up," he said in monotone. "If you get my friend in trouble, I swear you're going to pay."

"Hmph…I'm the one who's taking all the risks here," Hotaru replied. "Your friend here is not the one who's going to go through the electric barrier."

"Who cares about you getting hurt?" Ruka retorted. "You're just trash anyway."

At that point, Hotaru's eyes were reverting back to normal. "R-Ru…Ruka-kun…" she muttered. Aya immediately noticed the slight change in Hotaru and used her Alice to manipulate her again. Hotaru's eyes became lifeless again. "Trash or not… This is too much for me…" Hotaru sighed and went beside the eagle.

_That was too close for comfort. It seems my manipulation on her is weaker than the others. No matter, her will is not enough to challenge my Alice. _Aya pulled out a small container with the label 'Cream' on it. "Hey! Imai-san, you better apply this if you want to get out of this academy alive," she said, throwing the container over to Hotaru. "I got it from your stinking old lab. Once you're outside, the Anti-Alice members will assist you in escaping. They will bring you to headquarters, but don't expect them to treat you nicely."

"I expected this much from the AAO," Hotaru said.

"Good of you to know," Aya replied. She pulled out her cellular phone and dialed Nonoko's number with speed dial. When Nonoko answered her phone, Aya informed her that Hotaru was ready. "You do know what to do, right?" And when Nonoko replied with a firm 'Yes', Aya put away her phone and faced the two boys. "Guys, let's get this show on the road."

The eagle spread its wings and flew majestically into the air, carrying Hotaru with it. It flew above the guard house and called out their attention. The guards spotted Hotaru in an instant and set off the alarm in the academy. While one guard informed the higher-ups and the other staff about a girl trying to escape from the academy, the other guard tried to bring her down with his Fire Alice. The eagle was nimble and fast, as it could easily dodge the fire attacks easily.

More guards were coming, most of them having Latent Ability Alices. But before they could even use their Alices to bring Hotaru down, silver-haired Aya appeared and defeated the first row of guards merely in five seconds using her martial arts skills. The other guards were stunned by her appearance. It was only after she beat the crap out of one guard that the others snapped back to their senses and started attacking her. Aya defeated them one by one, smiling in contentment.

Hotaru ceased the opportunity and released her grip from the eagle. She went through the electrical barrier, receiving 20,000 volts of pain. Good thing the cream was there to save her from being completely fried. Now she knew what Mikan felt when she tried to escape from the academy once. She landed roughly on the ground, injuring her right leg in the process. "Damn…" she muttered under her breath. "I can't run…"

"So, you're the bait Aya chose…"

It was a man's voice—a voice she recognized well. Looking up from the ground, her amethyst eyes made contract with Mouri Reo's. Standing right behind Reo was his most trusted minion, Shidou. "I'm guessing you're the one who's going to assist me in escaping," she said tediously, maintaining composure despite her injury. "What are you waiting for? Assist me now…"

She wasn't requesting. She was more like ordering him to assist her. He didn't like the tone of her voice one bit. But he had no time to reprimand her. "Of all the people…" he said with a shrug. "Why did Aya have to choose you? So troublesome…" He pulled out a blue Alice stone from his pocket and activated its power. The stone opened up a portal that led to the headquarters of the Anti-Alice Organization. He didn't want to carry Hotaru, so he ordered Shidou to do it.

"Reo-san, how about Aya-san?" Shidou asked as he picked up Hotaru and threw her over his shoulder.

Reo raked his fingers smoothly through his auburn hair and smirked. "She'll be fine. I have full confidence in her abilities." He spun around and faced the portal. "Besides, she still has some unfinished business here, so she's not coming back just yet."

"Aya-san truly is the ace of the organization," Shidou said. "It's a good thing the organization got to her first before the academy. Her Alices are amazing."

Reo suddenly grimaced as images of Aya flashed through his mind. "Yeah…amazing," he muttered with a sigh. "Now come on… We can't waste time here."

"Yes, Reo-san…"

* * *

"Attention! There has been a breakout from prison cell number 0034. The prisoner is known as former Triple Star student, Imai Hotaru of the Technical Class." The announcement boomed loudly through the speakers around the academy, waking up every student and staff in their rooms. "We have just received word about her escaping from the academy with the help of an Anti-Alice member. As of now, we have come to believe that Imai Hotaru is part of the organization as she had also committed murderous acts against her fellow students. We are requesting all students to remain in their respective dorms." The announcer repeated what she said again, which further alarmed the students.

Asuka jumped out of her bed and got dressed in her school uniform. Not forgetting her gadgets, she opened her balcony door and used her realistic hand-made black wings to fly into the air. "There's no way I'm sitting this one out," she said. But before she could get any farther away from the high school dorm, a whip suddenly caught her leg, almost throwing her off balance in the air. "What's going on? Who did that?!" As she looked down, she saw her moderating teacher, Misaki-sensei.

Misaki-sensei held his whip tightly, which was actually a bean whip, as he locked his cold gaze at Asuka. "You're not going anywhere, Kawashima," he said. "Didn't you hear the announcement? No students are allowed to go out."

"Let me go, sensei!" Asuka exclaimed, trying to break free. "I want to help out!" And she was being serious about it.

However, Misaki shook his head firmly. "You're just going to get hurt, Kawashima!" he said, a hint of concern present in his voice. "Do you have any idea who the guards are dealing with right now? It's her—the one responsible for the Hana Hime massacre."

_The girl with the scarlet eyes… _Asuka swallowed hard. An intimidating figure indeed, the silver-haired girl was as cold as ice and her powers were unbelievable. Fighting such an opponent was dangerous, however, Asuka wanted to confirm something from her. There was a high chance that she was the one responsible for the sickness and the deaths. "Please…sensei…" Asuka flapped her wings harder to gain more altitude, but Misaki's strength proved to be great. "I need to fight her!"

Just then, Ryou came running towards Misaki-sensei. "Sorry to do this, man," he said as he punched the teacher hard in the stomach. He knocked the breath out of Misaki, causing him to lose consciousness and drop on the ground like a heavy block of cement. "I'm going to get trouble with him."

Asuka untied the whip around her feet and flew down. Once she landed, she glanced at the unconscious teacher first before she unleashed her paper fan. "You didn't have to punch sensei, you moron!" she exclaimed, whacking Ryou on the head.

"You barbaric woman!" Ryou retorted. "I already helped you and this is the thanks I get."

"Ah! I don't have time for this!" Asuka spread out her black wings, getting ready to take flight again. "I have to take care of that Anti-Alice girl."

"Are you stupid? You're just going to get killed. Aya-san is not someone you can take down easily. Plus, she's really smart and she has no weakness." Ryou talked about Aya as if he knew her well. Asuka found it very suspicious, not to mention that he also mentioned Aya's name with the honorific 'san'. "Don't even bother trying, Asuka. You won't win."

Asuka's eyebrows twitched in annoyance. "You won't know unless you try!" she exclaimed with a clenched fist. "Besides, you're going to help me beat her!"

"Don't be crazy. Why the hell would I help you? I don't want to bother Aya-san."

Asuka was getting more suspicious of Ryou. "Hey! Explain right now!" She clutched the collar of his uniform and brought his face near hers. "Why are you talking like you know this Anti-Alice member? And why won't you help me? You would usually help me—even though you complain. What's with you, Ryou?"

Ryou let out a chuckle. "Well, it's because I'm a member of the Anti-Alice Organization too," he said, and Asuka's heterochromatic eyes grew as wide as saucers. He gave her a smirk and shoved her away from him. "And I'm here to stop people like you from interfering Aya-san." He inserted one hand in his pocket and pulled out a small silver rod. With one swing, the rod extended in length.

"Wait a sec…That rod…"

"Oh, this… I just stole this weapon from your lab," Ryou said, twirling it like an expert martial artist. "This is your creation. Whoever wields this weapon shall become an expert fighter, am I right?"

Asuka took an involuntary step backwards. "Ryou, how could you? How could you betray the academy?" she questioned him. "Why did you join the organization?! Tell me, Ryou!"

"Why, you say?" he said, getting into his fighting stance. "The answer is quite simple. It's because I'm getting bored of this academy." Enough said, Ryou charged forward and swung his rod at Asuka.

"RYOU!" She flapped her wings hard and flew into the air before getting hit. "I don't believe it. I always see you enjoying your life here in the academy and you say you're bored here? That's the stupidest reason I've ever heard."

"But it's the truth. Just accept it, Asuka."

Asuka shook her head rapidly. "This is not like you, Ryou!" she said, her voice a little shaky. "Why would you side with the Anti-Alice Organization knowing that you would go against your friends?"

"I'm not going to go against you or Kyo," Ryou replied, getting into another fighting stance. "Because I'm going to force you two to join the organization as well." He twirled the rod above his head and pointed it at Asuka. After that, the rod extended towards the winged-girl. Asuka managed to evade it in the nick of time, but Ryou had another trick up his sleeve. Since the rod was made out of metal, his Alice of Magnetism could easily manipulate it. Activating his Alice, he transformed the rode into its liquefied state and splashed of it on Asuka.

"What are you doing, Ryou?! Get it off of me!" she demanded.

Ryou had a malicious grin on his handsome face. "Asuka, I got you now…" he muttered, raising an open hand. "Once this is over, you'll be in the hands of the Anti-Alice Organization." Once he clenched his raised hand, the liquefied metal around Asuka's body transformed into chains, disabling her black wings in an instant. The only thing keeping her in the air was Ryou's Alice.

Asuka was having a hard time breathing, because the chains were getting tighter and tighter. The worst part of it was Ryou didn't seem to care that she was struggling. "You…You're not Ryou anymore…" she managed to say softly. Her eyes were getting blurry as her heart ached a little. "Ryou…would never do anything to hurt me…Sure, we don't get along at times…but…he's really a good friend. He's not like the one in front of my eyes…"

"I am still the Ryou you know, Asuka," he said coolly, stroking his dark hair. "I just had a change of heart. That's all."

"No…You can't be Ryou…" Asuka said, closing her eyes tightly. "Ryou would never join the organization! He's too good for that!" She found her voice again.

"You're getting too annoying, Asuka…" Ryou said coldly.

"I think you're the one who's annoying!"

"Who said that?!" When Ryou turned his head to the direction of the voice, a red-haired girl charged towards him and gave him a nice clean uppercut, sending him flying and crash landing to the ground. The punch was no joke. He felt like getting hit by a truck. The girl was definitely strong. He glanced at the girl and recognized her right away. "Special Star student, Harada Misaki… Alice is Doppelganger."

Misaki massaged her hard knuckles as she glared at Ryou. "So, you're a member of the organization now," she said in a rough tone. "How unfortunate. I guess I just have to beat the crap out of you, Hibiki."

"Aren't students supposed to stay in their dorms? I guess you guys don't listen to the rules at all." Ryou planned on using Asuka as a hostage. However, as he looked up he was surprised to see Asuka not in the air anymore.

"If you're looking for Kawashima-san, she's over there with Tsubasa," Misaki said, pointing at a certain direction. "He managed to catch her when you lost your concentration."

Tsubasa chuckled in his usual laid-back kind of way as he removed the chains binding Asuka. "Seriously, you don't want to mess with Misaki. She's as strong as an ox. No offence there, Misaki." He showed a V-sign at his girlfriend, in which she just sighed in frustration. "Hey! Hibiki, it's kinda weird of you to join the organization just because you're bored. Besides, that reason is too dumb—even for you. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were controlled. A lot of members from the organization have mind-controlling Alices."

"Mouri Reo could have probably used his Voice Pheromone on you," Misaki added, not taking her eyes off of Ryou. She had to keep her guard up.

"I believe so too!" Asuka declared, standing up. "There's no way Ryou would betray his friends."

Ryou gritted his teeth as he got back up. "You guys are a bunch of fools…" he mumbled. He would love to fight them, but chances of him getting defeated were relatively high. No one in the right mind would want to go against Andou Tsubasa, the infamous shadow manipulator of the academy, and his girlfriend all at once. That would be just crazy. "We'll settle this next time." He pulled out a Teleportation Alice stone from his pocket and activated its power right away. Within seconds, he vanished into thin air.

"He got away!"Asuka uttered, running towards the spot where Ryou was. "Damn, he's really gone. I can't believe this."

"It's good we snuck out of the dorm," Tsubasa said, placing his hands behind his head, as he motioned over to his girlfriend's side. "Or else Kawashima would've been seriously hurt by Hibiki."

"We only snuck out, because we can't stand waiting while doing nothing," Misaki replied, crossing her arms. "The academy is in total chaos. We don't know what's really going on. It's frustrating."

"Yeah…But I guess it's more frustrating for Kawashima," Tsubasa said, looking over at the platinum-haired girl who seemed to be in a daze. "One of her good friends is suddenly an enemy now."

* * *

Two knocks came from his door, alarming Kawashima Kyo in an instant. He was just lying in bed, twisting and turning, worried about the present situation of the academy. He knew everyone was awake due to the alarm and announcement, and he bet that no one would dare to sleep. He hopped off his bed, walked to the door, and opened it. He was quite surprised to see Nonoko standing in his doorway, wearing such a cute long-sleeved light-blue night gown. The gown reached up to her ankles and it made her look like a living doll. He was certain that he blushed at the sight of her.

Fiddling with her fingers, Nonoko asked Kyo if she could stay with him for a while. "You see…I'm kinda afraid… With all the commotion, I don't feel safe in my own room anymore…" And when she received no reply, Nonoko looked at him. "Kyo, is there something the matter?"

Kyo finally snapped back to reality. "Um…no…It's nothing…" He chuckled awkwardly. "I was just thinking of something."

Nonoko gave out a small smile. "How very unusual…" she muttered. "The composed Kyo is actually spacing out." She giggled sweetly, making Kyo's heart pound loud.

"Well, I'm just human," he said. "Why don't you come in, Nonoko?"

"Is it really okay?"

"Yes…" He would feel more at ease to have Nonoko close to him so he could watch over her. There was no telling when and where the AAO will strike.

Then it happened. He heard a sound—a roar and then _whoosh! _ And felt the earth shaking. A bomb had just exploded. Only a bomb could make such an impact on the ground. Another explosion was set off; a lot louder and bigger than the previous one, and made the earth quaked wildly.

The chemist screamed and fell to the floor. She turned her head only slightly to the window, but enough to see the fireball rise in the air, trailed by a jet-black smoke cloud.

Kyo saw it too and grew frustrated. "Damn, is this really the end for this academy?" he muttered under his breath. "Is the Anti-Alice Organization just too powerful?"

Nonoko looked at him with a concerned face. "Kyo…" Afterwards, her eyes became lifeless, as Aya was taking over again, and her expression became stoic. "That's right. The organization is powerful. No one can ever defeat the AAO."

"Eh?" Kyo was surprised to hear such words coming from Nonoko. "You're not serious about that, right? Nonoko?"

Nonoko had reached for Kyo's face and caressed it gently. "What I'm saying is true, Kyo…" she said in a flat tone. She then leaned forward until her lips were centimeters apart from his ear. "I'm actually a part of the organization now and I want you to join me as well." Kyo's eyes grew wide in surprise, but before he could react, Nonoko injected medicine into him.

He moved away from Nonoko as quickly as possible, staring at her with disbelief. "Wait, you're not Nonoko…" he said, and Nonoko revealed a malicious grin to him. "Nonoko, are you being controlled? Nono…Argh…" He was starting to feel dizzy. His vision was blurring fast and his body felt numb. He could no longer think straight. _Damn…the AAO got Nonoko…and they got me as well… _As his vision blackened, he lost consciousness and fell to the floor.

* * *

About six o'clock in the morning, the higher-ups called for a meeting in the conference room of the faculty building. Only a few teachers were present, since most of them got injured during the fight. At first, it was only Aya fighting off the guards. Then suddenly Anti-Alice members came out of nowhere to assist her. All of the members were specially trained in arts of combat and Alice-usage, so some teachers and guards had a hard time fending them off. The notable teachers present were Jinno-sensei, Serina-sensei, Noda-sensei, Persona, Fukutan-sensei, and Misaki-sensei. Some student operatives were also present in the meeting and one of them was Matsudaichi Hayate. The student representatives of each Ability Class have also came, namely Tsubasa and Misaki.

The two Special Ability students have explained everything about their encounter with Hibiki Ryou. Of course, they didn't forget stating the fact that he was merely under the AAO's control, since he acted differently than usual. Tsubasa even implied that Hotaru might be under a different kind of mind control. He and Misaki believed that Hotaru would never commit murderous acts.

However, most of the people in the meeting were highly doubtful of Hotaru. Medical experts and an adept Alice-user have already checked on Hotaru to see if she was really controlled. Alas, all her actions were done by her own free will and she even admitted it herself. Furthermore, the AAO went all the trouble of assisting her to escape.

The elementary school principal seemed more than a bit cranky. Bags under his eyes were rather obvious to everyone in the room, but none of them said a word of it. "The situation has gone out of hand," he said, taking a sip of his coffee. "We have to destroy the organization once and for all."

Hii-sama, the middle school principal, was fanning herself as usual. Though she looked all calm and composed, she was also worried deep inside. "We can't act recklessly, elementary principal," she said. "Judging from the fight last night, our forces could hardly even stand a chance against them. We've suffered some casualties from the fight."

"Yes, I know that," the elementary principal said, massaging his temples. "But if we don't do something soon, the AAO will take over Alice Academy."

"If the high school principal was here, what would he do?" Hii-sama asked, closing her fan, as she glanced around to look at the people. It was unfortunate that the high school principal was still out of the country. The academy needed him now. "In any case, I believe it is time to inform the high school principal, as well as the other branches, about this grave matter. We must also warn our operatives working outside the academy and the honorable students who are visiting their hometown, especially Mikan no Kimi."

Tsubasa sighed in frustration. "Until now…The organization is still after Mikan…" he muttered under his breath. "I want to be there at her side to protect her. I don't want her to end up in that damn organization." Mikan was his precious junior and as a senior, he had the responsibility to take care of her. She was like his little sister.

Taking hold of his hand, while keeping their hands out of sight from the people around the room, Misaki turned to him with a smile. "I want to protect her too, Tsubasa," she said. Her face was full with determination. "And I want to give the AAO a piece of my mind. They've caused a lot of trouble for the academy."

"Bad news!!" Asuka burst into the room, panting really hard. "I've just been informed that there are several people missing in the academy. The first one is Narumi-sensei, who was last seen interrogating Imai Hotaru. Next up is Imai herself, who had escaped from the academy with the aid of an eagle. The others are Ogasawara Nonoko, Nogi Ruka, Hibiki Ryou…and…" She lowered her head and gritted her teeth. She felt so hesitant to say his name, but it was a must. "The last one is my brother… Kawashima Kyo… There are a total of six people missing."

"Ruka-pyon's missing too?!" Misaki exclaimed. "So…That explains the eagle… Don't tell me he's part of the organization? Wait, I bet he's been mind-controlled. It happened to him once before when Reo came here with the circus."

"Possibly, yes…" Hii-sama said. "Both Hibiki Ryou and Nogi Ruka were probably mind-controlled. But the matter with Imai Hotaru is different. And about Ogasawara Nonoko and Kawashima Kyo, I believe they were taken forcefully."

Jinno-sensei was the one who spoke up next. "Seeing that both Ogasawara and Kawashima are brilliant students, I'm sure the organization had their eyes on them for quite a while," he explained in a clear yet serious voice. "And because of what happened, I am convinced that the AAO is the cause of the sickness and deaths."

"I agree with you fully, Jinno-sensei," the elementary school principal replied. "If you've noticed, majority of the students and teachers who were killed and got afflicted by the sickness are offensive-type Alice-users. Some of them were even top student operatives."

"The enemy took down our firepower and lowered our morale first before striking," Jinno said, adjusting his glasses. "A very well-thought plan if I may say so."

"I think that's just part of the plan," Asuka spoke up. She had thought hard about the whole situation and she decided to express her thoughts, knowing it would help. "I think there's more to it than that. If the enemy wanted to lower the academy's force, then they could've just taken out the security force or the Dangerous Ability Class. However, they also killed innocent children and victimized students who don't even possess offensive Alices." A good example here was Umenomiya Anna who possessed the Cooking Alice.

"Then what would be the enemy's other objective, Kawashima?" Jinno-sensei questioned.

Before Asuka could answer, the teacher with a Super Hearing Alice picked up something from outside the gates. "There's a big commotion going on…" He picked up the remote control and switched the 42-inch plasma screen on. The television had direct connections with the cameras all around the academy. The teacher switched to the camera directed at the school gate. "This is worst than I expected."

Everyone in the room was stunned to see what was being flashed on the screen at the moment. Another troublesome situation have arose—one that they could never avoid. It was something they must face because it regards the safety of their students. The academy was nearing to an end.

* * *

The early morning breeze felt so cool and good against her skin. As she swept the dried leaves on the ground, she also enjoyed playing around with her mechanical bird friend, Sora. Clad in a white tank top over lapped with a sky-blue jacket, a light pink pleated mini-skirt, and white sneakers with knee-length leg warmers, she twirled around, humming a tune of her favorite song. She seemed to be dancing and her partner was the broom. She was enjoying herself until Sora went in front of her face and pointed its wing at a certain direction.

"What is it, Sora?" she asked, turning her head to the direction. To her surprise, standing a few inches away from her was none other than her friend, Ruka. "W-What?! Ruka-pyon, what are you doing here?" 

Wasn't he supposed to be in the academy? She thought the academy doesn't let students out of there effortlessly. He had a knapsack behind him, which was enough to fit in some clothes. Well, Ruka didn't get the Honor Student Award, and she couldn't think of any other reasons to why he was right there. Furthermore, he was in his school uniform.

With a giggle from him, he approached the young brunette casually and held out his hand. "Sakura, I came here for you," he said, his voice so smooth. "I've missed you so much."

"Eh?" Mikan slightly blushed and scratched her cheek with her finger. "Um…Why do you say that all of a sudden? It's not like I've been gone for weeks now. But I did miss you too, Ruka-pyon." She gave out her trademark smile.

"Sakura…"

Without any warning, Ruka pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. Mikan was puzzled by his action but didn't question him about it. She thought it was just a friendly hug—just like the hugs she gets from her seniors. What came after the hug was a real shocker. Because when Ruka faced her again, he swiftly sealed her lips with a kiss. Mikan didn't know how to react at that exact moment.

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: Sorry, I didn't include Mikan and Natsume much in this chapter. I had to focus on the academy first. I know things are getting a bit confusing and I'm sorry for that. What do you think they saw on the screen? Care to guess? Well, I didn't really give any hints, but just take note of what Asuka said. In the next chapter, our favorite couple will be the next ones to face some problems. Hope you're ready for it. Please review. No flaming.


	37. The Dangerous Love Triangle

JC: Let's see here. What went on in the previous chapter…? Well, a lot went on. Ryou helped Hotaru broke out of jail. Hotaru escaped from the academy, getting assistance from Reo and Shidou. Ryou tried to capture Asuka, but she was saved by Tsubasa and Harada Misaki. Nonoko managed to get Kyo, and Ruka appeared in front of Mikan and kissed her all of a sudden. Everyone's waiting to find out what will happen next, so I present chapter 37.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 37: The Dangerous Love Triangle

"I figured this much," Asuka said as she laid eyes on the television screen. Her hunch about Aya's objectives was accurate. As of that moment, she was witnessing a group of families, friends, and relatives all huddled up in front of the Alice Academy main gate. They were demanding for their children. "That girl planned this all. She killed a lot of people with Imai's help and spread out an unknown sickness just for this. Alice Academy is a school where students are supposed to have a protected life, and the students' families have placed their trust in this institute despite having to separate. The news about the unfortunate events has reached their ears and now they want their children back. They don't have faith in this academy anymore." She turned to look at the principals, her face straight and solemn. "Now then, principals, what do you intend to do? We can't just leave it like this."

Everything Asuka had said was true, and frankly, Hii-sama was quite impressed with her way of thinking. Asuka was truly an intelligent girl. "You're right, Kawashima-san," she said. "The situation is serious. And I'm quite sorry to say that my barriers have not been able to detect the Anti-Alice members. They have gotten stronger." And far more cunning that she'd been led to believe. She checked the screen again. The people, screaming and throwing stuff at the gates, were unsightly for her. They were the families of the students, who were frightened by the tragic news. Soon, she thought, the government will take action. She had come up with only one solution. Maybe it would be the best solution for everyone, no matter how hard it was.

Hii-sama stood up, anxiety and uncertainty in her heart. "Elementary principal, I would like to have a talk with you in private concerning about the present situation," she said clearly.

"All right then…" the elementary principal replied, taking a stand.

The two principals then headed towards to the next room, which was another conference room—only smaller. As soon as they sat down across each other, they began their talk. The other staff and teachers had no other choice but to wait for their decisions.

Tsubasa lowered his hat to cover his eyes. He was worried, not to mention frustrated. Waiting wasn't exactly his style. If it was possible, he wanted to be teleported to Mikan's side right away. He also wondered how Mikan would react if she knew that her important friends have gone missing. Worst of all, how would she react to Hotaru's crimes and betrayal? No, Tsubasa didn't want to believe Hotaru betrayed the academy. It was ­impossible. "Misaki, what do you think will happen to the academy?" he asked, stuffing one hand into his pocket while keeping his head low. "At this rate, it could only mean the end."

The Doppelganger girl clamped one hand on his shoulder. "Hey, aren't you supposed to be optimistic?" she said. "I don't want you saying that it's the end."

"Yeah…" he replied, his lips curving into a smile. "You're right, Misaki."

* * *

The unexpected arrival, the unexpected hug, and the unexpected kiss were more than enough to make her stiff. Sakura Mikan felt her face heating up and her heart pounding so loud. Ruka kept his lips on her for more than a minute now, and she wasn't doing anything stop him. She was trying to find the reason why Ruka would kiss her all of a sudden. First of all, she was already his best friend's girlfriend. And when Ruka started exploring her mouth with his tongue, Mikan snapped and pushed him away. Somewhat terrified by him, she covered her mouth with both hands and took a few steps backward. "Ruka-pyon, why…?" she asked. "Why did you kiss me?"

Before he could answer her question, his lifeless eyes caught sight of his best friend standing by the doorway. Natsume had a dagger-like glare, and Ruka figured he saw the kiss earlier. Well, Ruka's intention was not only to see Mikan, but to make Natsume jealous. "Hey there, Natsume…" he said casually, and Mikan glanced back at him.

Natsume was ready to strangle him. Ruka got under his skin in the worst way. No guy was ever allowed to touch Mikan's lips, except for him. What Ruka did was unacceptable and unlikely of him. Natsume didn't know if Ruka was getting desperate or crazy, but he wasn't going to let him slide by. "What the hell are you doing here?" He marched over to Mikan and pulled her behind him. "And why did you do that? Answer me, Ruka!"

Putting on a gentle smiling face, Ruka bowed his head in a gentlemanly way and apologized for what he did. "I just thought of using the French's way to greet other people." And that was to kiss. However, his desire was to really kiss Mikan. "As you know, I'm half-French. I'm sorry if I scared you, Sakura."

"Um…So, it was just a greeting?" Mikan asked, still feeling wary of the animal-lover. If it was a greeting, why did he have to go so far by deepening the kiss? Ruka was sure acting strange. "I guess it's okay for me."

"Ruka, I'm sure you're aware she's mine," Natsume abruptly said, narrowing his gaze at his friend. "I don't care if you're French. We live in Japan and that kind of greeting is just wrong."

The blonde grimaced. "You're right… Sorry…" His expression was showing regret.

"Since you said sorry, I forgive you!" Mikan said cheerfully, skipping her way towards Ruka. "It was my first time to be greeted like the French do and I think it was sweet, though ­you really surprised me." She didn't want any trouble, so she might as well forget about the kiss and move on.

Ruka slightly chuckled. He felt his best friend's cold hard gaze on him when he replied, "Don't worry, coz I won't do it again."

"Anyway, I'm so happy you're here, Ruka-pyon!" she exclaimed. "I'm going to show you around my hometown. I'm sure you'll like it here."

"Hold it," Natsume said, crimson eyes focused on Ruka's blue ones. "Why are you here? Don't tell me the academy gave you permission to come here? I don't recall the academy being lenient with students going out of campus."

Still sharp as a cat, Ruka thought, so nothing was to be expected less from Natsume. "I've been asked by the middle school principal herself to come here and be Sakura's bodyguard. The AAO is getting stronger, and she wanted to tighten the security around Sakura more. She felt it was necessary to send over someone she knew, so she picked me."

Mikan wrapped her arms around Ruka's arm and jumped up and down like a little girl. "I feel safer already knowing you're around, Ruka-pyon!" she happily said. "Let's go inside. I'll introduce you to my grandfather. I'm sure he's gonna love you."

Irritated, Natsume grabbed the broom from the ground and extended it towards Mikan. "You still have some sweeping to do, polka-dots," he said, and Mikan pouted in dismay. "You go back to work, while I'll take Ruka inside." He had a lot of things to say to Ruka. Mikan didn't make such a fuss as she resumed her little work.

Once Natsume brought Ruka to the entrance, the blonde boy leaned against the wall and placed a hand on the side of his head. "You know, I would love to kiss Sakura again," he said, licking his lips. "Her lips are so kissable. No wonder you like kissing her so much."

Was this really his best friend talking? Ruka was normally polite and not at all arrogant when talking. It seemed like Ruka had gone through a drastic change in one snap. "I want to forget that scene a while ago, but unfortunately I can't. What makes you think that it's okay to kiss her like that? I know you still love Mikan until now, but back off. She's already mine."

"Possessive, aren't we?"

"Say whatever you want about me," Natsume said, clenching his fists. "But I won't let you take Mikan away from me."

Ruka smirked, crossing his arms over his chest, as he went to stand right beside Natsume. "Sorry, but I just can't let her spend the rest of her life with you," he said, full of confidence. "I'm going to make her mine, Natsume."

Natsume grabbed Ruka by the collar and pinned him against the wall. "I don't know what has gotten into to you, Ruka, but you're not acting like yourself. Is it because of your obsession with Mikan? Why can't you just accept our relationship?"

The animal-lover showed no fear but only a small smirk on his face. "Yeah, I am obsessed with her," he replied. "But you're pretty much the same as me."

"Damn you!" Natsume was about to throw a punch at him until he heard Tono's voice calling out to Mikan. He quickly released Ruka from his grip and averted his eyes away from him. "Let's get one thing straight here. Mikan is my girlfriend and I can't let you have her." He began walking away, and at the same time, Tono came out of the room and bumped into Natsume along the way.

Natsume kept on walking like he didn't see him. However, the amplifier was able to notice the sour look on his face. He turned his head towards the entrance and saw Ruka. "Woah…Nogi Ruka?" he muttered in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Ruka pretended to look normal as he faced the older guy. "I've been sent here by the academy as an additional bodyguard for Sakura," he answered.

"Really now?" And Tono thought the academy was tight with security. Why didn't the academy inform him that they were sending someone over? "Well, it's good to have you. I'm guessing you'll be bunking with me for the rest of the week, huh?"

"I think so."

"I'll show you to your room," Tono said, turning away and walking ahead. Ruka followed him closely from behind. After bringing the blonde to his room, Tono went downstairs and made a phone call to the academy. He wanted to confirm something about Ruka. Alas, the academy's line was busy. He tried different numbers, including the dorm numbers, but every line seemed busy. "That's strange. I wonder what's going on over there."

* * *

A few parents of the ones who died recently were showing their fury in front of the gates. Others were begging the guards to let them in to see their children again. The guards were having a hard time calming down the crowd, not to mention keeping them from entering the premises. Most of the parents there were Alice-users. The parents were also using their Alices against the guards. Good thing the gates were Alice-proof.

"You guys promised us that my child will have a good life here!" a man said, obviously a father. "And now I hear she's sick! Give her back to me!"

"Why did you let my son die?!" a mother cried out, tears falling from her eyes. "Why?! I thought he was safe here."

The two principals were watching them through the screen in the private room. Although they would like to explain to the parents about the Anti-Alice Organization, they knew talking to them was futile while their hearts were enraged. The elementary school principal took the liberty of contacting the high school principal via telephone and told him about the chaotic situation they were facing. On the other hand, Hii-sama was calmly planning a way to resolve the problem.

The monitor emitted a beeping sound, meaning there was an incoming call from the high school principal. The elementary school principal pressed a button on the remote and switched the monitor to telecommunication mode. In a flash, the high school principal's face was flashed on the screen.

A person highly regarded in the academy, the high school principal was a handsome silver-haired man with a sharp mind. He was the uncle of the one and only Sakura Mikan. He had always watched over Mikan ever since she came to the academy. Mikan was very precious to him, as she reminded him so much of his late younger brother. "So, the Anti-Alice Organization has done this much already…" he said, his voice calm and deep. He had also seen the footage of parents rampaging before the gates and heard everything from the elementary school principal. "Tell me, is my niece still safe?"

Hii-sama was the one who answered him. "Yes, Mikan no Kimi is still safe and sound in her own hometown. The ones guarding her at this very moment are Tonouchi Akira, Hyuuga Natsume, and Ibaragi Nobara."

"Have you contacted her mother about this?"

"We have informed every Alice Academy operatives working outside, especially her mother."

"I can't do much while I'm here, but I'll try to get back as soon as possible," the high school principal said. "I'm sure the government already knows of this and they'll later demand us to release the students back to their families. Once all of the students will leave, Alice Academy of Tokyo Branch will be no more."

The elementary principal slammed a fist on the table. "Dammit! If we let the students go, then we're just playing into the hands of that blasted organization." He was frustrated as hell. He couldn't stand losing to the AAO.

Hii-sama locked her gaze on the fan she was holding. She, too, found it hard to accept defeat. The academy had been fighting against the Anti-Alice Organization for so long and now they were just going to give up. She had even lost some of her precious girls in the Hana Hime Massacre, no thanks to a certain silver-haired Anti-Alice member. "This is what the organization wanted…The end of Alice Academy…" she muttered, clasping her fan tight. "In all my years of living in this academy, I have never felt this miserable before."

"Principals, why the long faces?" the high school principal questioned in a monotonous voice. "We still have hope on our side. Like I said, the academy will end if all of the students will leave, but there will be some students who will remain. And remember, the organization's other goal is to obtain my niece."

"So, all we have to do is to protect Sakura-san, if we want to have a chance against the AAO," the elementary principal said, his lips curving into a confident smirk. "Is that what you mean?"

"My point exactly…" The high school principal then shifted his eyes on Hii-sama. "Principal, I want you send more guards to protect my niece, guards with mastery over their Alices. It is imperative to keep Mikan safe at all cost. She's the academy's key."

Hii-sama opened her fan and placed it over her mouth. "You don't have to ask me twice," she answered in her elegant voice. "After all, Mikan no Kimi is my favorite girl. It would be a shame to let the AAO get their filthy hands on her."

"Wait a minute…" the elementary school principal butted in. "Excuse me for my insolence, but wouldn't it be better if we send Azumi Yuka-sama to protect her own daughter? Yuka-sama, as everyone knows, is quite an adept with her Alice."

"Yes, I understand that," the high school principal replied. "However, I am going to give her a different assignment. Of course, it pertains to the silver-haired girl who is the root of all our problems."

* * *

Something wasn't right. Was it the food? No, it can't be. The food was prepared with utmost care and it was delicious enough to satisfy one's hunger. Was it the weather? Well, the climate was getting chillier everyday, but for some reason the dining room was warmer than usual. Grandpa Sakura was having a cheerful chat with Tono and Ruka, usually bragging to them about his achievements during his younger days. Nobara and Natsume were certainly enjoying their meal quietly. All of them seemed normal, but she had a feeling something was wrong. Mikan was delighted that there were more people joining her in her week long vacation. However, her heart was struck with a feeling she couldn't explain a while ago. It happened once before when she accidentally dropped a plate.

Dismissing her thoughts, she finished up her meal and took a sip of water. Maybe she was just being paranoid. There was no danger going on at all, she assured herself. As she was about to take another sip, she heard her grandfather asking Ruka if he had a girlfriend. She just smiled and answered her grandfather for Ruka. "He doesn't have a girlfriend yet, but he's really popular with the girls. Didn't I mention this before in my letter?"

The old man patted Ruka on the back. "Well, that was before…" he muttered with a smirk. "I thought he had a girlfriend by now. Well, I have to admit he is a good-looking boy. So, if he doesn't have a girlfriend yet, how about a crush? I'm sure he has one." He eyed Ruka keenly.

Tono rubbed his chin casually, looking fanatically at the blonde boy, while Nobara placed a closed hand over her mouth. The two of them were aware of Ruka's big crush on Mikan before. As for Natsume, he knew very well how much his best friend still loved Mikan. Ruka wasn't able to love another girl, even after he was politely rejected by Mikan.

"Hmm… I don't know if Ruka-pyon has a crush on someone," Mikan said, giggling. "If he has, then he didn't tell me yet."

Good thing Mikan was naïve, Natsume thought as he gobbled a slice of fish. It would be troublesome if Mikan realized that Ruka still loves her more than a friend.

Ruka smiled awkwardly at the old man. "Well, I am crushing on somebody," he said before his smile turned upside down. "Unfortunately, she only sees me as a friend. In addition to that, she's in love with someone else."

"Huh? You actually have a crush on another girl now?" Tono asked, looking a bit surprised. "And I thought you were only loyal to Mikan."

"Yeah…But Sakura has Natsume now," Ruka replied with a hint of sadness in his voice.

The old man placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder. "The pain of unrequited love… It just keeps haunting you. First, you experienced it with my granddaughter and then with another girl. I'm sorry for asking you, young man."

"It's all right…" Ruka was able to show a tender smile to everyone.

Natsume narrowed his eyes. It was obvious to him that Ruka was referring only to one girl, which just happened to be Mikan. He could see right through to Ruka. He never would have guessed how much his best friend can change just because of love. Not only was he bothered by Ruka's sudden visit to Mikan's hometown, he was also wondering why the academy let Ruka out. With the AAO on the loose, shouldn't they be tighter with the students? Moreover, Tono had also informed him that he couldn't contact the academy through the phone. Natsume had a bad feeling that something was going on back at the academy.

After the meal, Mikan washed the dishes and cleaned the table. Nobara wanted to help her, but she insisted on doing it by herself. Mikan was used to chores anyway. It was no big for her. Once her kitchen duty was done, she headed over to the backyard to take a breather. She just loved the cool and soothing breeze as it blew past her. Her vacation was going great so far. She wished there won't be any upcoming trouble. Then again, she couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling from her heart. It was like a warning to her, though she can't seem to sense any danger. How weird.

All of a sudden, she heard Nobara yelled. Her voice seemed to have come from the other side of the yard. Quick as a cat, Mikan rushed to where the Ice Princess was at and saw a very shocking scene. She had just caught Natsume punching Ruka on the face. The punch was enough to send Ruka crumbling to the ground. "Natsume!" she uttered. "Ruka-pyon!"

Trembling in nervousness, Nobara turned her head to the brunette girl. "Um…They just started fighting…and I couldn't stop them…" she said in a shaky voice. "I-I'm sorry…"

Mikan rushed over to Ruka's side and lifted his upper body into her arms. "Ruka-pyon, are you all right?" When she saw the sore part of Ruka's face, she looked up at Natsume and said, "Why did you hit Ruka-pyon?" She was expecting an answer, but all she got was silence from him. His eyes were hidden under his raven locks as his fists were clenched tightly. Mikan could feel the raging aura he was emitting, which, without a doubt, surprised her.

Ruka's lips curved into a malicious grin. "It looks like he can't accept the truth," he said, cupping Mikan's chin with one hand, forcing her to look at him. His blue eyes were once again lifeless. "He really has a bad temper. Don't you agree, Sakura?"

Jealousy rising, Natsume swatted Ruka's hand away and pulled Mikan away from him, much to the brunette's surprise. "You can forget about our friendship, Ruka." His voice was as ­poisonous as his crimson eyes. "From this day on, you're not allowed to go anywhere near Mikan or else I'll burn you alive," he said, conjuring a flame in his hand.

"Natsume!" Mikan went in front of him, blocking his view of Ruka and nullifying his fire at the same time. "I don't know what's going on, but it's wrong to threaten Ruka-pyon like that. You guys have been best friends for so long. You can't just end your friendship."

It pained Natsume to say it, but he was left with no choice. Ruka was not the person he knew anymore. "I'm not taking back what I said. Our friendship is over."

_To be continued… _

* * *

JC: Yikes! Natsume and Ruka aren't best friends anymore. Poor Ruka-pyon. It's all Aya's fault. If he wasn't manipulated, he wouldn't be acting like this. For those who aren't reading the manga, I've given a good spoiler here. The high school principal is really Mikan's uncle. Mikan is related to one of the higher-ups in the academy. Pretty cool, right? Hii-sama is going to send more guards to protect Mikan. Who do you think they will be? There's going to be one heck of a battle in the next chapter. Please review. No flaming.


	38. Passion over Friendship

JC: I've been stuck in the dumps lately. I didn't know how to start this chapter, to be fairly honest. Funny thing here, only after reading some pocket books about action got me going again. I promised some battles here and you'll get them.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 38: Passion over Friendship

Confused and shocked, Mikan glanced at Natsume and then at Ruka. Her boyfriend had just declared an end to their friendship. Why? Why would Natsume say that? What did Ruka do to make Natsume mad? After being friends for so long, Natsume stated like he didn't care at all about Ruka. Both boys were important people in her life and their friendship was one of the things she liked the most. If they weren't going to be friends anymore, it'll be hard for her to act normal with one another. And she was the type of person who valued friendship like a treasure.

Blue eyes as cold as ice, Ruka brushed his hand smoothly through his blonde locks as his lips curved into a smirk. "So, I guess this is it, huh?" he muttered in a husky voice. "We're not best friends anymore." The regular and kind-hearted Ruka would certainly disagree to what the present Ruka was doing at the moment. He was ruining his relationship with Natsume, which was what Aya had instructed him to do.

"Ruka-pyon… Not you too…" Mikan didn't expect Ruka to say such things. It was like he was a totally different person. "No, you guys can't end your friendship! I don't understand why you guys are fighting in the first place!"

A sigh escaped from his lips as he spun around on his heels. "Why don't you ask Natsume about that?" he said, peering over his shoulders to look at her. "I hope you'll excuse me for a while. I need to be alone." After saying that, he started walking away.

The brunette turned to the flame-caster, anxiously waiting for him to say something. The expression on his face, as she had noticed, was dour and serious. He had his crimson eyes focused on the ground and both of his hands were clenched. It was obvious that he was frustrated. Mikan wanted answers to her questions, but she decided not to question him. She approached him and enfolded him in her arms.

Nobara, who was watching them at a close distance, was wondering about Ruka's behavior as well. She had witnessed Natsume and Ruka's argument before the aforementioned guy threw a punch. She had also heard Ruka say so many selfish things to Natsume.

"He has changed a lot…" Natsume muttered, and Mikan pulled back to face him. Thinking back of what Ruka said to him, Natsume couldn't help kissing her aggressively. Mikan was his for keeps. Even if it means losing his best friend, he will never ever hand Mikan over to another guy. "No matter what happens, stay with me till the end…" It sounded more like a demand than a request. But that was just his way of talking.

Mikan felt his overwhelming love for her. Although he had taken her again by surprise with a kiss, she still managed to give him a smile. "Don't worry…" she said, caressing his cheek. "I'll always be with you, Natsume." His cold expression didn't fool her one bit. She knew he was sad about the fight with Ruka. She knew he wanted her to comfort him. The two of them shared a warm hug again.

The Ice Princess was touched by the couple scene in front of her and let out a small smile. Her fellow Dangerous Ability classmate and her favorite Mikan were just perfect for one another. However, she feared for their relationship. Not only do they have to deal with the Anti-Alice Organization, but they have to face Ruka as well. Why do more and more problems kept piling up on them? Nobara didn't want either of them to suffer and be separated. And as she thought about Ruka again and his somewhat different personality, she figured that it was love which made him like that. But if you truly love someone, then you should think of that person's happiness first. Ruka should already know how happy Mikan was with Natsume, so why was he going to make Mikan sad? Well, she understood Ruka's feelings for Mikan and unrequited love was quite painful to one's heart.

Nobara was about to leave when someone behind her said, "If you move, I'll kill you…" She froze like a statue the instant she felt the tip of the gun against her back. The unexpected man was definitely an enemy, and she guessed that he was probably an Anti-Alice member with a Teleportation Alice, since he was able to appear behind her undetected. "Now then, Ice Princess, why don't you freeze that lovely couple there? My boss wants the girl fast, so hurry it up," he demanded in a low and malicious voice.

As one of the assigned bodyguards of Mikan, she wasn't going to let an Anti-Alice member take advantage of her. After all, she was no ordinary Alice-user. Even though she was timid and aloof, she was trained to handle missions and dangerous activities for the academy. "I'm sorry, but I won't do it…" Lightning fast, she moved away, pivoting at the hip, and kicked the gun away. "Mikan-chan, Natsume-kun, there's a man here—"

The man in the black suit clamped his hand around Nobara's neck, preventing her from breathing. "You little wrench!" he exclaimed, glaring down at her. "You're going to pay!"

"Nobara-chan!" Mikan yelled out.

Without hesitation, Natsume burned the man's hand—the one holding Nobara—and charged towards him to swiftly punch his sorry face. The man fell backwards, but before he landed on the ground, he disappeared. "Teleportation…" he said, keeping his guard up. He went over to Mikan's side and held her hand. "Stay close to me."

Mikan nodded her head in reply.

Nobara was scanning the surroundings for signs of the AAO member. The enemy was using Teleportation so he can appear whenever and wherever he wanted. Just then, she saw the man appearing right behind Natsume. "Natsume-kun, look out!" She quickly made an ice sickle emerge from the ground to prevent him from touching Natsume. After that, she threw ice daggers at him.

The AAO member once again disappeared from sight before the daggers could reach him. He teleported to a spot a few inches away from Nobara and aimed his gun at her. Good thing Nobara noticed him right away as she was able to form an ice barrier around her. The man was getting pissed. He tried teleporting again, but this time he didn't disappear. "What…What's going on?!" he exclaimed in surprise. "Why am I not teleporting?"

The two Dangerous Ability students immediately turned their attention to Mikan, who had her eyes closed and hands clasped together against her chest. From what it seemed, Mikan was efficiently focusing her Nullification Alice on the Anti-Alice member. Nobara and Natsume were relieved to have Mikan's Alice around to help them. Mikan made it easier for them to crush their opponent.

"Dammit!" The man fired shots at Natsume, but the bullets were blocked by Nobara's ice wall. "Oh no…" Things weren't looking good for him.

"You're dead meat," Natsume icily said, setting the AAO member on fire. The man ran around like a maniac, screaming and pleading for mercy. "You guys from the organization are just plain stupid. Why don't you just give up on Mikan? You'll never take her away."

Mikan pitied the burning man, so she used her Alice to nullify the fire. Of course, she received one of Natsume's famous glares, but she didn't care about that. "Natsume, I know he's the bad guy, but it's wrong to torture him," she said. "Besides, this guy might give us some information about the organization."

"What a clever idea, Mikan-chan," Nobara said, freezing the Anti-Alice member body, leaving only the head. "This should cool him off. Those burns are pretty serious."

"This is really strange," Mikan said, glancing at Nobara before turning her head to Natsume. "Why would the organization send just one member to deal with us?"

Natsume shrugged. "I know the organization isn't that dumb. I think this one is just here to warn us." He slipped one hand into his pockets and walked over to the AAO member. "For now, let's take this guy inside and tie him up. I'll do the interrogation once he regains consciousness."

The brunette pulled her boyfriend towards her by the arm and said, "Leave the interrogation to Tono-senpai." And Natsume just raised a brow at her, asking why. "If you'll do the questioning, I bet that guy will end up like burnt toast."

Nobara giggled, silently agreeing to what Mikan just said. "Anyway, I better inform the academy about this incident right away," she said, remembering her duties as a student operative. "I'll go call Tonouchi-san as well."

"You go inside too," Natsume ordered, giving Mikan a light shove. "It's much safer inside. I'll stay here and guard this guy until that Tono comes."

"Okay… But what about Ruka-pyon?" Mikan asked him. Natsume didn't bother to answer her as he turned his back at her. "Don't you care about Ruka-pyon anymore, Natsume?" She was only getting a silent treatment from him. She heaved a deep sigh and followed Nobara into the house.

* * *

The miasma of misery, the overpowering smell of alcohol and gauze, and cleaning fluid and excreta greeted Imai Subaru at the sliding door. Girding his loins, he took himself through the door. It wasn't easy to focus on his job. Hotaru, his little sister, was officially declared as a traitor by the academy. Not only has she killed innocent lives, she had also caused quite the commotion by escaping. There were no evidences of her being controlled. Hotaru did all her crimes on her own. The worst part of it was the fact she was an Anti-Alice member now. Subaru never felt so disappointed in all his life. How could his sister do such a thing?

The nurse was checking on Anna when he entered the ward. She came around the bed and handed the records to him. "She was hysterical a while ago, but I've managed to put her to sleep with my Alice."

The doctor went over to the bed and said, "There is still no cure for this sickness." The medical team of the academy was already doing the best they can, and he can only wait for the results.

The nurse sighed. "Imai-sensei, I heard about your sister…"

Subaru shrugged, and then glared down at the nurse. "I'm not in the mood to talk about her." He was very upset, very frustrated with how things were. "Now resume your duties."

Pale and afraid of the doctor, she bowed her head and said, "I'm so sorry, Imai-sensei…" After that, she spun around and walked away.

He ought to get to work as well. As a doctor, he was entrusted with the lives of his patients. He can't let his wavering emotions get the best of him. Adjusting his glasses, he checked on Anna's records. He noticed some drastic changes with the vital signs every two hours and according to the observations, Anna did not experience any pain when she woke up at 6 AM and 10 AM in the morning. The pain came back after two hours again. But it wasn't the same case with the other patients. If they wake up, they would instantly feel pain all throughout their body. Anna, on the other hand, has a specific time.

"Nonoko-chan…"

Shifting his eyes from the records to the patient, he approached the bed and noticed her lips trembling. As soon as she started moving her head, Subaru touched her forehead and used his Healing Alice on her to ease the pain.

"Nonoko-chan…" Anna muttered again as she slowly opened her eyes. "Where are you…?" She extended her arm, trying to reach for something, as she continued to call for her best friend.

Subaru took her hand into his own as he took a seat beside her on the bed. Knowing how unstable his patient was, he knew he had to keep her calm. He can't say where Nonoko was, for the truth will only break her heart.

Anna stared curiously at the doctor and asked, "Where's Nonoko-chan, Imai-sensei?" Her voice was soft and feeble. It was evident in her eyes that the sickness still lingered in her body, continuously causing her to suffer. "I had a bad dream about Nonoko-chan. I…I hope she's…okay…"

The good doctor hoped so too. Nonoko was a great assistant and he never once doubted her abilities as a chemist. "She'll be here soon," he said to the pink-haired girl. "And it's better for you to sleep." His expressionless face didn't change a bit.

"I see…That's…good…" Anna's voice was fading as her eyes were slowly closing.

As soon as she fell asleep, Subaru tucked her hand into the sheets and stood up from the bed. "She'll be here soon…But I'm not sure when…" he muttered under his breath.

* * *

Placing the phone back to its proper place, the Ice Princess walked to the living room with a confused look on her face. She had tried to contact the academy several times already, but the lines were always busy. She couldn't even contact the Dangerous Ability moderator with her cellphone. What was going on in the academy? She told Mikan about her concerns as she sat down beside her. She just hoped no one was in trouble in the academy.

Sad to say, Mikan had some failed attempts in contacting Narumi-sensei and Hotaru. She had her own personal cellphone to use whenever she goes out to visit her hometown. It was a birthday gift given to her by Hotaru last year. "You know, I do have this strange feeling that something isn't right," she said. "And I don't like this feeling, Nobara-chan."

"Is it possible that the academy is under attack?" Nobara clamped her mouth with both hands as she lowered her gaze to the floor. "But if the AAO is attacking, I'm sure the academy is doing the best they can to fight them."

Mikan placed a gentle hand on Nobara's shoulder and gave her a warm smile. "The academy is full of strong people," she said. "It won't fall into the organization's hands easily."

Just then, Ruka walked in and focused his attention on Mikan instantly. A smirk for a smile, he approached the brunette and stood right in front of her. Without taking his eyes off of Mikan, he said, "Ibaragi, could you leave us alone for a while? I have something important to say to Sakura."

Nobara somehow didn't trust Ruka anymore. However, she can't be rude. "All right…" she replied and rose up from her seat. "I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."

As soon as Nobara left, Ruka suddenly grabbed Mikan's shoulders and leaned forward to kiss her on the lips. Once again, Mikan was taken by surprise and her senses almost went numb until Ruka was forcing his tongue into her mouth. Pushing him away, she stood up and slapped him across the face. "What's wrong with you, Ruka-pyon?!" she exclaimed as the hand she used to hit him trembled. "Why did you kiss me? Have you forgotten I already have a boyfriend?"

Ruka shot her a glare, which was another surprise for Mikan. Through gritted teeth, he muttered, "And that boyfriend of yours happens to be my ex-best friend." He hastily pulled her towards him and embraced her tightly in his arms. "I can't stand it anymore. Sakura, I know you already rejected me before, but I still love you until now. My feelings for you hasn't change one bit. I want you to be mine. I want you to love me, not Natsume. Do you have any idea how it pains me to see you with him?"

Mikan's eyes grew wide as she froze like a statue in his arms. Ruka was still in love with her? She couldn't believe it. She thought Ruka had already accepted her feelings of friendship. She thought he was fine with her relationship with Natsume. All along, she thought Ruka was happy as long as his best friend was happy. But here he was, embracing her like there was no tomorrow, confessing his feelings for her yet again. She didn't know what to do or what to say to him. It was all too sudden for her. So, were Ruka's feelings the reason why Natsume wanted to end their friendship? Was it all because of her? How could she have not noticed Ruka's feelings before? She was so naïve. As tears formed in her eyes, she let out a soft sob. This whole time Ruka felt pain because of her. While she was enjoying so many moments with Natsume, Ruka was suffering silently. How could she have known of what he truly felt? Whenever she looked at Ruka, he was always smiling tenderly at her.

The blonde slowly pulled away to face her. Holding her face between his hands, he placed a kiss on her temple and smiled down at her. "Sakura, I love you so much," he said. "And I'm willing to take you away from Natsume. I don't care if I'll be hated. What matters is that you'll be mine alone."

"Ruka-pyon…?" Right from the beginning, especially at the time he kissed her when he first arrived, she knew Ruka was different. She didn't want to doubt him at first, which was why she still acted normal around him. However, hearing the current Ruka say such selfish things made her feel like she wasn't facing the Ruka she knew so well. "Who are you? What have you done to Ruka-pyon?!"

"What are you saying, Sakura?" Ruka said, cupping her chin and leaning his face closer to her. "I'm Ruka."

Mikan pushed him away with great force and backed away. "You're not Ruka-pyon!" she exclaimed. "The Ruka-pyon I know will always care about the feelings of others. He is never selfish. You're not Ruka-pyon! I…I don't even know you!"

"I'm still Nogi Ruka, Sakura," he said in a grim voice. "But I've outgrown my previous self. If I don't get aggressive, I will never have you."

"Ruka-pyon…your feelings for me…"

"Are all true!" Ruka raised his voice this time. "I'm serious about you, Sakura. I'll take you by force if I have to. I'll make you love me." His eyes were starting to lose their color.

What happened to her friend? He was so different and intimidating that she started trembling. "Ruka-pyon…why did you change…?" she said in an uneasy tone. "I've always loved the Ruka-pyon before, the Ruka-pyon whom I've considered as one of my treasured friends. But now I don't know what to think of you anymore!" Spinning around on her heels, she dashed out of the living room and climbed up the stairs, as tears kept flowing out of her eyes.

"Sakura…is crying…" Ruka said in a low voice as his eyes softened. His eyes were reverting back to its original state and his heart began to ache. At this point, Aya's manipulation on him seemed to have weakened and his consciousness was taking over. _I promised I would always protect the smile on Sakura's face. But I made her cry. I'm the worst. _As the pain in his heart grew, he dropped on his knees and clutched his chest. His consciousness was trying to fight the manipulation.

The brunette was aimlessly running through the hallway, trying to reach her room before anyone sees her. However, before she could even touch her bedroom door, a hand had reached out for hers and stopped her. Slowly, she turned her head to the owner of the hand, with legs wobbly and weak. She felt like crumbling any second. "Natsume…" she muttered his name. "I…I'm so confused…" Without hesitation, she cried against Natsume's chest.

"What happened?" Natsume wrapped his arms around her petite body. "Why are you crying?" He sounded cold as usual, but he was concerned for her on the inside.

"Tell me, Natsume…" She was speaking between her sobs. "Have you always known about Ruka-pyon's feelings for me?"

So, the cause for her tears was none other than Ruka, Natsume thought. He can't stand seeing Mikan cry, and he wasn't going to let Ruka get away with it. His best friend's obsession over Mikan was as great as his, much to his dismay. "He never lost his feelings for you," he muttered. "You're the only girl he ever looked at."

"Why didn't I realize it?" Mikan clutched onto his shirt and pressed her face more into his chest. "Because of me…you two…"

Natsume firmly yet carefully pushed her away so he could face her. Crimson eyes locked onto her amber ones, he caressed her cheek with one hand and wiped away some tears with his thumb. "Both of us fell in love with you," he said, "but it's not your fault why Ruka's acting this way. Don't make such a fuss about it."

"I can't just stay quiet about this, Natsume," Mikan said, lowering her gaze away from him. "And I can't help feeling guilty."

"Can you stop being sensitive about others for once?" Natsume said in an unruly voice. "It's kinda annoying. Don't go patching things up between Ruka and me as well. I'll try to deal with this matter alone. As you know, that guy is different than before. I don't want you going anywhere near him for now."

Mikan took one of his hands and held it against her heart. "Natsume, I don't want you and Ruka-pyon to stop being friends," she said in a tender voice. "I'm sure everything will be okay once we talk things through with him. Regardless of his changes, I'm sure the Ruka-pyon we know is still there."

Natsume let out a frustrated sigh. "Optimistic as ever…Why can't you get angry over something like this for once?" he said, rolling his eyes away. "You're just too good to be true, polka-dots."

Roughly wiping her tears away, she puffed up her cheeks and pinched Natsume's cheek. "I told you not to call me by that nickname, you pervert," she told him, and Natsume gave her one serious glare. Well, she did pinch his cheek hard.

* * *

"It seems like the guy from the organization isn't awake yet," Grandpa Sakura said the next day, taking a seat beside Tono on the porch. "The young fire boy gave him some serious burns. But I'm glad he was there to protect Mikan."

"Based on the Ice Princess's story, Mikan played a big role yesterday by stopping the guy's Alice of Teleportation," Tono explained, lighting a cigarette. "I want to inform the academy about the incident, but I can't contact them."

"The organization wants my granddaughter badly, correct?" the old man asked, and Tono nodded his head in reply. "And it's because of her two rare Alices. Mikan can't have a peaceful life while she's being pursued by the organization. Can't the academy do something about them? What about Mikan's mother? What is she doing right now?"

Tono puffed out smoke before he turned his head at the old man. "Last time I checked, Azumi Yuka was doing a mission in Osaka together with Sakurano and Shiki," he explained. "At the moment, I'm rather worried about the academy. If there's trouble there, then they should have informed me right away."

"I agree with you," the grandfather said, shifting his attention to the plants in the garden.

There were a few moments of silence until two unsuspecting people came up to them, greeting Tono most especially in a fairly casual manner. One of them had a black hat on his head, was wearing a blue printed shirt with red linings, a black arm band on his right elbow, a red wrist band on his left wrist, and black loose pants with blue-red Nike shoes. The other one was a girl wearing a light blue haltered top overlapped with a long-sleeved pink blouse with a V-neckline, and white miniskirt with white sneakers and ankle-length leg warmers, and she had her rose pink hair tied in a cluttered bun. Oh, Tono recognized the two well. Tono didn't even have to look twice. The two were none other than Andou Tsubasa and Harada Misaki.

Rising up from his position, Tono pointed a curious finger at them. "What the hell are you two doing here?" he asked. "Wait, if you're here for something important, why wasn't I informed beforehand?"

"Tonouichi-kun, who are these people?" Grandpa Sakura questioned, looking at the two suspiciously.

Tsubasa took the liberty of answering the old guy. "No need to worry," he said in assurance. "We're from Alice Academy. You must be Mikan's grandfather, am I right?" He had his usual laid-back smile on his handsome face.

"What is your relationship with my granddaughter?"

"Your granddaughter happens to be my precious junior," Tsubasa cheerfully answered. "Let me introduce myself. The name's Andou Tsubasa. It's nice to finally meet ya."

Misaki politely bowed at the old man to show her respects. "And I'm Harada Misaki," she introduced herself. "I'm also one of Mikan's seniors."

The grandfather's expression changed from serious to happy once he heard their names. "So, you're Mikan's seniors. Mikan had told me so much about you in her letters. She said you two always take good care of her." He approached the two and examined each one of them carefully. "Mikan was right. You are truly a handsome young man," he told Tsubasa. He then turned to Misaki and said, "And you, young lady, are beautiful, just like what Mikan described. Mikan has such fine seniors. I hope she's not any trouble to you."

Tsubasa chuckled as he shook his head. He felt flattered to hear such compliments, and Misaki was feeling the same thing, though she didn't show it. "Mikan is no trouble at all," he replied.

"So…Tell me…" Tono interrupted before Tsubasa will speak more to Mikan's grandfather. "What are you two doing here? Did something happen in the academy? I can't seem to contact anyone from there."

The red-haired girl grimaced. "Yeah…something happened, something big…" she said gravely as she clenched her fists in frustration. "The academy is falling apart because of that Aya."

"Aya? Wait a minute…Are you referring to the current ace of the organization?" Tono has not met Aya nor did he have any idea what she was in person. But he was informed of what she was capable of. "What did she do this time?"

"Let's talk inside," Misaki suggested with a deep sigh. "This is going to be a long talk. Mikan and the others should hear about this as well."

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: Ruka has totally lost it. Well, not really. He was regaining a bit of his consciousness again. The real Ruka is trying to fight Aya's control. In the next chapter, Ruka is going to make his move. Remember, Tsubasa and Misaki knows that Ruka has been taken by the AAO. Aya's going to appear in the next chapter to help Ruka out. A lot of things will happen. Review the chapter please! No FLAMING!


	39. A Difficult Battle

JC: None of the characters are going to be safe in this chapter. Ruka's going to make his move, and Mikan's going to suffer from all this. Natsume will try his best to protect her but what will protect him from the AAO? And Aya's going to appear again. There are no good news here.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 39: A Difficult Battle

Sugita Aya planted herself before the leader of the Anti-Alice Organization and presented a black Alice stone in her hand. A sinister smirk for a smile, she approached her boss's desk and placed the stone on top of it. "Sorry for not reporting to you right away when I got back. I was busy tending to my minions. By the way, thank you for lending me this stone," she said. "I was rather impressed with the power of this stone. I didn't expect it to unleash such a sickness around the academy. It was entertaining to see so many people suffer. And you should have been there when I beat the crap out of Narumi-sensei."

The boss, Mihara, opened his drawer and took out a small box. "You never cease to amaze me, Aya," he said, taking the black stone and placing it in the box. "Alice Academy is ruined all thanks to you." His voice was cold and his eyes were menacing.

"Mihara-san, my mission is not yet over." Her voice low and silky, she added, "I still have one more thing to do. And that is to bring Sakura Mikan to you."

Leaning back on his chair, Mihara let out a malevolent laughter as he imagined the downfall of all academies around the world. "With Sakura Mikan by my side, no one can stop the Anti-Alice Organization," he said. "I'm counting on you, Aya. Bring her to me."

Flipping her silver hair, she placed a hand on her waist and showed her boss a confident look on her pretty face. "I'm the ace of this organization," she proudly stated. "You can count on me anytime. I won't disappoint you, Mihara-san."

She left the office afterwards, closing the door carefully behind her. Before she could even take one step, her eyes caught sight of Mouri Reo passing by the hallways. A big smile was immediately plastered on her face. As she called out to her Ani-sama, she ran towards him in a jiffy and gave him a hug.

"You gave me one heck of a surprise there, Aya," Reo said, as Aya released him. "Are you done talking to our leader?"

Aya nodded playfully. She has the tendency to act like a child in front of Reo. "Our leader is so proud of me," she cheerfully said. "I'll make him even prouder by bringing Mikan-chan to him. How about you, Ani-sama? Are you proud of me? Please tell me."

Reo placed his hand on her head and gave her a loving smile. "Do you have to ask?" he said, rubbing her head gently. "I'm always proud of you, Aya." And the reason here was because he treasured the girl like family.

"I'm so happy to hear that, Ani-sama! Thank you!" Aya took one of his arms and embraced it like a teddy bear. "By the way, I'm going to Mikan-chan's hometown today. Wanna come with me? I want you to see me beating Hyuuga and the other bodyguards."

"I would love to, but I can't," Reo replied. "Our leader has assigned me to a mission earlier and I'm planning on finishing it within this day."

Pouting, Aya released his arm and placed her clenched hands on her waist. "What kind of mission?" she asked. "Is it a lot important than mine?"

Reo heaved a sigh and patted her head. "A mission is still a mission, Aya," he told her. "You know how things work around here. Now if you'll excuse me…" He only managed to take a few steps before Aya called him again and grasped his shirt at the same time. When Reo turned his head at her, Aya was no longer showing a cheerful smile but a rather disturbing one. He almost hesitated to ask her what she wanted from him.

The silver-haired girl stared at her open palms, thinking how much they were tainted by blood. "Ani-sama, I'm sure you've visited Narumi-sensei already, right?" she asked as she looked up at him again. "I could have killed him with these two hands. But my other side refused to kill him. Ani-sama, I'm really sorry. I know I still have to train more to control my other side."

"You don't have to apologize, Aya," Reo said, maintaining a calm façade, though he felt kind of bad for Narumi. A part of him was actually happy that Narumi was still alive and a part of him wanted him dead. "I think you made a wise decision of taking Naru as a prisoner. He will be of good use to us for sure."

"You're right!" Aya perked up again. "Maybe I should manipulate Narumi-sensei too. I'll get him to work for the organization. What do you think, Ani-sama? Is it a good idea?"

Reo didn't want to discourage Aya, so he told her it was a good idea. "But we still have to consult our leader," he told her. "Aya, I don't want you to lay one finger on Naru for now. Do I make myself clear? No funny stuff, okay?"

Aya raised her right hand as a sign of promise. "Okay, no funny stuff!" she replied in a lively tone. "I will never do anything to upset Ani-sama."

* * *

The shadow manipulator, Andou Tsubasa, leaned against the sink, crossing his arms at the same time, as Mikan and the others sat down around the table. He could sense the tension building up, even though he wasn't saying anything yet. He gave his girlfriend a knowing look first before he spoke up. "Okay, is this everyone or is there someone missing from the group?"

Tono leaned his cheek against his hand. "We have one person missing," he said. "Mikan, where's the blonde kid? Don't tell me he went out?"

"I…I don't know," Mikan replied nervously as she remembered Ruka's sudden confession a while ago. She felt guilty for rejecting him and pushing him away. She just didn't know what to do. The confession totally took her by surprise. She never expected Ruka to still have feelings for her after for so long. "Ruka-pyon might have gone to someplace where he could be alone for a while."

Misaki rose from her chair in an instant. "Did you just say Ruka-pyon?!" she exclaimed. "Ruka-pyon's here? That can't be."

"What's wrong with that?" Tono asked calmly. "He was sent here by the academy to guard the little brat too."

"He wasn't sent by anyone," Misaki retorted. Then she turned and looked at Tsubasa with a concerned yet serious expression.

Tsubasa ran his hand through his hair. He looked a little bit nervous. "You guys weren't informed, so it's only natural that you don't know," he said. "A lot of horrible things happened in the academy when you guys left. You see, Ruka-pyon was actually taken away by the Anti-Alice Organization the other day." A hush filled the room. Everyone was obviously shocked to hear the news. It was an expected reaction, Tsubasa thought, and he knew that they were going to be more shocked to hear the rest of the story. The unknown plague, the murderous crime of Imai Hotaru, and the great escape were rather difficult to tell, but he had to. Mikan and the others had the right to know, especially Mikan since the AAO was after her.

While they were all inside the house, Ruka was sitting on the rooftop, gazing at the sky with a bored look on his face. Birds were perched on his head and shoulders, chirping melodiously. He opened his mouth a little and muttered Mikan's name slowly. He held out one hand, letting a bird land on it. He then stood up and told the birds to leave him alone to think. As the birds flew away, Ruka looked down at his own two feet with a deep frown.

Aya's manipulation on him was getting weaker, but it was still enough to make him do her bidding. As of that moment, his mind was having a battle of its own. If he can't conquer Aya's spell, for sure he'll end up hurting the people who were dear to him.

Suddenly, a bright light illuminated behind him. Ruka quickly spun around and watched in amazement as a figure slowly emerged from the light. It was none other than Aya. "Hi, Nogi-san!" she greeted him with a sinister smile. "I hope you didn't cause any trouble here."

"I…I…made Sakura cry…" Ruka said in a low voice. "I didn't know what came over me."

Aya placed her hand against his chest. "It looks like the real Nogi Ruka is coming out," she said coolly. "I can't let that happen. I still need you for my plans." Activating her Alice, she gained full control over Ruka again.

Ruka's sapphire eyes became lifeless like a puppet's. "I will do whatever you command me to do, Aya-san," he said, kneeling down before the silver-haired girl like a knight. "Just as long you keep your promise to me."

"Mikan-chan will be your girl," she said. "I can a—" Aya suddenly sensed a disturbance. Instinctively, she pushed Ruka away and jumped out before ice daggers, which came out of nowhere, hit them. Aya landed perfectly and flipped her hair with poise. "You almost got me there, Ice Princess," she said as she looked at Nobara.

Nobara showed no fear while facing the Anti-Alice member. Forming ice daggers in her hands, she threw them at the enemy. Aya calmly held out one hand. Using her own Alice, she stopped the daggers in mid-air and blew them right back. The Ice Princess only managed to dodge some of the daggers as one pierced through her right thigh.

Aya sighed in disappointment. "Is that the best you can do?" she asked.

"No…" Nobara muttered under her breath. Pressing her hand against the roof, she used her Ice Alice to summon a huge ice blade beneath Aya's feet. "I won't be defeated."

Fast yet graceful, Aya jumped into the air and did a triple twist. Her hands then glowed in a bright red light. "Try and dodge this, Ice Princess!" She aimed the light at Nobara.

Just then, Mikan appeared in front of Nobara and nullified the light in the nick of time. She actually used her Telekinesis Alice to levitate herself quickly to the roof. "Aya…you're the worst," she said, clenching her fists. "You've hurt my friends! I won't forgive you for that!" She had heard everything from Tsubasa and Misaki—about the plague, the deaths, and about what happened to her friends. She nearly cried when she found out about what Hotaru did. But she knew Hotaru well. She knew that Hotaru would never kill anyone.

Aya spoke. "I don't care if you say that I'm the worst. I still like you, Mikan-chan. I see you're putting the Alice you stole from me to good use. Well, you can keep the Telekinesis and Barrier Alice. I no longer need them, because I acquired new Alices from the organization." With a snap of her finger, a ring of fire appeared around her. "I have so many Alices inside of me. Sometimes I have a hard time choosing which one to use."

"Sakura, Aya-san and I don't want to hurt you," Ruka said, as Aya lifted him up into the air. "If you don't come with us now, more and more people will just get hurt. Aya-san will not give up until she gets you."

Mikan shook her head violently. "If I go with her, the organization is just going to use me to hurt people!" she exclaimed. "Ruka-pyon, I know you're just under her control. Try to fight it! I know you can do it!"

On the ground below, Natsume, Tsubasa, Tono, and Misaki faced Aya's elite subordinates. All of them were having a hard time, since the enemies were not only skilled in using their Alices, but also in martial arts. Most of the Anti-Alice members possessed the Strength Alice, the Speed Alice, and the Alice of Teleportation.

* * *

The Anti-Alice members were not only attacking Mikan and the others, they were also chasing after another girl with the Stealing-Alice. While running higher and higher up the staircase of an abandoned building, Azumi Yuka persistently tried to contact the academy through her cellphone. Unfortunately, the lines were busy. Although the academy managed to warn her about the AAO and the plague, she wasn't able to hear the principals' orders because the line suddenly got cut.

Reaching the rooftop of the building, Yuka leaned herself against the railing to catch her breath. She had been running non-stop for about an hour and a half. She glanced around in search for an escape route. However, it seemed like there was no way out. It was a dead end. She didn't wish to be captured by the same organization who used her before. But what can she do? Sakurano and Shiki weren't even there for her. She got separated from them a while ago.

Three metal balls appeared in the air. They weren't just ordinary metal balls. And the one who was controlling them was a good-looking guy about the age of fourteen. He had dark hair with green highlights and lifeless hazel eyes. "Enough games," he said. "It's time for you to come with me, Azumi Yuka."

Yuka recognized the guy as one of Mikan's good friends. "You're Hibiki Ryou, correct?" she said, maintaining a calm façade. "So, what made you betray the academy? Is it because of some personal reason? Or is it because you're under control?"

Ryou narrowed his gaze at her. "I'm not here to have a chat with you," he said in a grim voice. At his silent command, the metal balls flew across the place. The first ball hovered over Yuka's head. In an instant, they combined and transformed into chains and snaked around Yuka's body. "This is too easy…"

"Let go of her!" Shiki shouted, as he and Sakurano appeared on the rooftop. Using one of his Alices, he caused a big explosion to blind Ryou for a while. "Sakurano, you better hurry!"

The blonde ran to Yuka's side and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Yuka-san, are you all right?" he asked, looking very concerned. "I'm sorry for being late. Shiki-san and I had a hard time fighting the other members."

Yuka gave him a smile. "No need to be sorry, Sakurano-kun," she said in a tender voice. "Come on, we better go."

Sakurano nodded his head in agreement. "Shiki-san, I got Yuka-san," he informed his companion. "I'm teleporting now." With that, he used his Alice and disappeared along with Yuka.

Shiki would like to stay and fight but running away was the best option at the moment. Knowing that Yuka was in danger, he had to protect her at all cost. Without a moment to spare, he used his Teleportation Alice and escaped.

When Ryou regained his eyesight again, he glanced around with a daze look in his eyes. "They're gone…?" he said in surprise. He kicked the wall behind him in anger and gritted his teeth. "I can't believe this! She got away! Aya-san is going to kill me for this."

* * *

The Anti-Alice members were getting beaten up one by one. The combination of the Amplification Alice and Shadow Manipulation Alice worked well against them. Tsubasa and Tono were fighting strongly and bravely, throwing punches and kicks everywhere. Even the AAO members with guns did not have a chance against them. At first, it was tough fighting them, but when they started using their heads, it became pretty easy. Sure, Tsubasa and Tono were usually carefree with everything, but they can be serious and crafty when needed.

The two guys were not the only one having fun. The doppelganger girl, Misaki, was showing the guys no mercy. Her clones were taking out several AAO goons simultaneously, while the original one was currently facing a big guy with the Strength Alice. His size didn't scare her one bit. She was used to beating guys bigger than her. She managed to punch his stomach and face, but those attacks didn't hurt the guy one bit. Okay, she can't rely on her own strength against the guy, so she had to outsmart him somehow. Multiplying herself into five, she surrounded the guys and attacked him. When the clones were all over him, the original Misaki slid down beneath his legs and kicked his manhood. The kick hurt a lot and the guy started jumping around in pain. Misaki smiled with satisfaction and knocked the guy out.

Natsume was also doing a fairly good job defeating his opponents with his Alice of Fire. He concentrated mainly on offense, since the guys couldn't lay one finger on him. Even though he was busy fighting, he was thinking of Mikan. He knew Nobara was there for her, but he wondered if they can handle Aya by themselves. No matter what, he had to hurry up and get to Mikan. He can't afford to lose her to the Anti-Alice Organization. Unfortunately, there were still a lot of opponents. He took down three more goons using his fists and gave the others some high degree burns.

An Anti-Alice member suddenly appeared behind him, holding a knife in his hand. He was about to stab Natsume if it weren't for Misaki. The girl kicked him away swiftly, knocking him out at the same time. Natsume was rather impressed with the girl's strength and made mental note not to get on her bad side. No wonder Tsubasa was afraid of her most of the time.

"I'll handle these guys for you," Misaki said, winking an eye. "You go and help my cute little junior, okay?" She then charged towards the enemy and punched him in the stomach.

The flame-caster silently thanked the doppelganger before he darted towards the house. When he got to the rooftop, he was surprised to see Mikan fighting against Aya in mid-air while the injured Nobara was defending herself with her ice barrier against Ruka's birds. Natsume didn't waste time. He immediately helped Nobara by scaring the birds away with fire. "You're supposed to be the one protecting Mikan," he said coldly, going in front of Nobara.

Nobara lowered her gaze to her wound and heaved a deep sigh. "I know… I'm sorry, Natsume-kun…" she said. "I did my best."

"Yeah, I know…" he replied. "Just stay here. I'll handle things from here." He looked up at this best friend, who was standing on the other side of the roof, and narrowed his eyes.

Ruka smiled at Natsume in a malicious way. "Are you willing to fight your own best friend?" he asked. "Oh, wait… We're not best friends anymore. So sorry, I'm simply forgot." He chuckled.

Natsume conjured a flame in his palm. "I knew something was wrong with you," he said. "But I never expected you to be under that twisted girl's control."

"Aya-san's manipulation is flawless," Ruka said. "No Alice can ever detect it. Aya-san manipulated my heart, my mind, and my soul. She has control over everything. But what I told you about Sakura before came from my heart."

"Ruka, I know you're not weak," Natsume said. "I know you can fight this."

"Hmph… Sorry, Natsume…" Ruka turned his back at his best friend. "But if I don't do this, Sakura will never be mine." He pulled out a red Alice stone from his pocket and activated its power. In an instant, a warp hole opened behind him and a creature emerged out. The creature was a flaming wolf.

Nobara clamped her hand over her mouth, looking surprised. "I have never seen such a creature," she said in a shaky voice. "What is it?"

Ruka peered over his shoulder to look at the two Dangerous Ability students. "This is a Fire Wolf," he said. "This creature was created by someone from the organization. Even though it's a monster, it still has the heart of an animal, which makes it easy for me to control. But you won't have an easy time with this one, Natsume. I can assure you that."

The wolf's eyes glowed with bloody red light. It aimed its flamethrower at Natsume and Nobara. The blast was blocked off by Natsume's firewall, but it was strong enough to give him some serious burns on his arms. He dropped on his knees, panting hard. He wasn't sure if he was able to take another blast from the wolf.

_To be continued… _

* * *

JC: Sorry for the errors. I didn't have time to edit this. Anyway, aside from that, I'm happy I finished this. You know, I got the flaming wolf idea from Magic Knights Rayearth. I was re-watching it because I've got nothing better to do. I'm also working on my Gundam SEED fic too. I've met a new friend, who's also a Mikan Sakura fan like me. She's not into the NatsumexMikan pairing. Her pair of choice is **MikanxPersona** and **MikanxSakurano**. Well, I do have to agree with those pairs too. I like them. She's going to write a MikanxPersona pair. I don't know when her story will be up, but I'll be sure to inform you when she decides to.


	40. Torn Apart

JC: I'm surprised that I've actually reached wrote my 40th chapter. I'm kinda proud. I feel like celebrating. But this chapter isn't actually a cheerful one. Many of you are wondering about Aya's past, so I'll reveal only a bit of them here. I'm sorry if I can't reveal everything yet. You'll just have to wait.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 40: Torn Apart

A couple of fire bombs were heading towards Natsume. Lightning fast, he jumped away just in time to evade the bombs. As soon as he landed on the far right side of the roof, the fire wolf appeared behind him and kicked him away towards a tree below. He felt like getting hit by a huge truck. He didn't know if he could withstand another hit. He balanced himself on the branches, a little wobbly on the footing, as he panted hard. Fighting the wolf was difficult, but he needed to defeat the fire wolf to get to his best friend. He had to snap Ruka out of Aya's control somehow.

He tried to come up with a way to defeat the wolf when he saw the said beast approaching him fast from the air. Gritting his teeth, he jumped towards it, stepped on its back, and made a jump again to gain altitude. He twisted his body in the air and faced the wolf, which was right below him at that point. He created multiple fireballs and attacked the wolf with them.

The wolf didn't have a hard time evading all fireballs. Fire power wasn't the only thing it boasted. Speed was top notch as well. The wolf then used flamethrower, throwing Natsume out of balance in the air. In an instant, it charged forward and tackled the flame-caster to the ground. Like a predator, the wolf was ready to kill Natsume as it growled furiously. The paw settled on his shoulder was enough to give him a serious burn.

Natsume was going to use his Alice when pain struck his heart all of a sudden. He winced and clutched his chest tightly. He had used his Alice too much already. His body can't take it anymore. He mentally cursed himself for having the fourth-shaped Alice. But if he was just going to give up there, then he won't be able to protect Mikan. "You…damn animal…" he grumbled under his breath. "Get the hell off!" He used his Alice and blasted the wolf away, but it only made the pain worse.

"You just won't give up," Ruka said, pulling out another Alice stone. It was a Teleportation Alice stone this time, and he used it to teleport from the roof to the wolf's side. "Natsume, you'll eventually get killed if you keep this up. Come on, admit defeat already."

The flame-caster gritted his teeth. "I won't give up. I will continue to fight for Mikan's sake."

Ruka smirked at this. "You're so in love with her," he said. "But I'm in love with her too."

"She will never be yours," Natsume said, looking so cold yet furious.

The blonde sighed. "Natsume, you're saying nonsense," he said. "And to be honest, you're really irritating me. Why don't I just kill you now? Would you choose to die fast or to die in a slow and painful way? Well, I think the latter is good—" He got cut off when he sensed a couple of icicles heading towards him. However, the icicles were all blocked by the wolf. He knew exactly who threw the icicles and he quickly turned to the person.

The Ice Princess, Nobara, was standing a few inches away. Her wounded thigh was wrapped with a white cloth and ice in order to stop the bleeding temporarily. She wasn't standing properly due to the wound, but she was glad she was still able to help Natsume out. "Ruka-kun, please stop this," she said, drawing a deep breath. "You're Natsume-kun's best friend. You shouldn't fight him."

Natsume shrugged. "Talking some sense into him is pointless," he said, slowly getting back on his own feet. "If we want him back, we have to defeat the silver-haired witch."

Mikan was fighting against Aya, using Telekinesis, Barrier, and Nullification Alice simultaneously. She used Telekinesis to keep herself levitated in the air and to take control of Aya's movements, while the Barrier and Nullification Alice didn't give Aya the chance to retaliate. She was doing a good job fighting against the ace member of the Anti-Alice Organization. However, Mikan knew she was Aya's weakness as well. Aya can't seem to bring herself to hurt her for some reason.

She used telekinesis to pin Aya on the ground, nullifying Aya's Alice at the same time. Her concentration was at the fullest, but she didn't know how long she could keep it up. She landed on the ground and walked up to Aya. Much to her surprise, Aya was smiling malevolently instead of having a pained expression. Mikan was getting some serious bad vibes from her.

"You're the only one who is capable enough to defeat me," Aya said in a smooth and silky voice. "Even though I have so many Alices inside of me, they are no match against your Alices." She does have her martial art skills to back her up, but she can't do much with a psychic force holding her down.

"Aya, please tell me…" Mikan said, clamping her hand on her own arm. "What did you do to make Hotaru kill those innocent students?" Her hand trembled a little.

The silver-haired girl snorted. "You should forget about that good-for-nothing inventor." Truth to be known, Aya was extremely jealous of Hotaru for being so close to Mikan. She wanted Mikan to be her best friend instead. "I only manipulated her to join me, but I never ordered her to kill students. The freaky Imai did it all by herself."

Mikan's eyes grew wide in surprise. Hotaru killed the students on her own? That can't be. She refused to believe so. Her best friend was a good person, despite being indifferent and strange. Hotaru will never do something so low. "Don't lie to me, Aya!" she exclaimed. "You said it yourself. You manipulated her. I'm sure you made her kill."

"My Alice is different from hypnotism and mind control, Mikan-chan," Aya said. It was amazing how she could stay so composed. "I can't actually control a person's movements. All I can do is to manipulate them."

"Aya, just what kind of Alice do you have?" Mikan hesitantly asked.

The AAO member smirked sinisterly. "As you know, I have more than one Alice," she started explaining. "And the one I'm using on Imai-san and Nogi-san is the Alice I inherited from my mother. It's called the Alice of Manipulation. It allows me to manipulate a person's heart, soul, and mind, and a person's Alice as well. To make things simpler, I can turn them from good to bad and vice versa. I can even manipulate the negative emotions hidden deep within a person's heart, just like what I did with Nogi-san."

It was Mikan's first time to hear of such an Alice. The Alice of Manipulation was not only functional to the user, it was also dangerous. In addition to that, the user was an expert in exploiting its full potential. It was a good thing she had the Nullification Alice. "So, it's still your entire fault why things have turned out this way. Hotaru did it on her own, because you manipulated her in the first place. Ruka-pyon and Natsume quarreled because of your doing too. How can you be so cruel?" But Manipulation wasn't the only Alice Aya had, Mikan thought.

Aya heaved a deep sigh. "It's because the world treated me cruelly before," she muttered under her breath. "You have no idea what I've been through. I don't expect you to understand and I don't feel like telling you about my miserable past life. However, I would've not been able to go through all the suffering, if it weren't for you, Mikan-chan." Her scarlet eyes grew soft and a tender smile has replaced the sinister one.

Mikan was rather surprised that she could make such a kind face. It was unlikely of Aya, who was known to be cold-hearted. And what struck her the most were her words. Aya was able to overcome hardships because of her? "Aya, I've always been wondering…" she said. "Why do you act like you're so fond of me? When we were fighting a while ago, you try your best not to hurt me. Back at the Hana Hime Mansion, you even stopped in mid air before you can kick me. I don't know if you were ordered not to—"

"I can't hurt a person who is important to me," Aya butted in, "especially you, Mikan-chan. You're special."

"I'm important to you?" Mikan couldn't believe what she just heard. "I know the organization wants to use me as a tool, so I'm sure that's the reason why I'm important to you."

Aya shook her head. "You're not a tool to me, Mikan-chan," she said. "I know I've done so many things to make you hate me, but I still consider you as my friend."

"Friend? I don't think you're my friend." Mikan didn't mean to sound cold.

"We've been friends before, Mikan-chan," Aya said as she felt the psychic force getting weaker. All she had to do was to keep on talking to Mikan until she'll let her guard down. "I'm sure you don't remember it. Well, how can you? You got into an accident for trying to save me and that accident caused you your memories of me."

Mikan took a step backward, looking appalled and confused. "What are you saying? Are you trying to trick me, Aya?"

"No… I'm telling you the truth. You had an accident eight years ago."

"E-Eight…years…ago…?" Mikan recalled the time she woke up in the hospital with a cast on her left arm and bandage around her head. Aya was correct about the accident. But Mikan didn't want to believe that they were friends before. Well, she can't actually remember the events before she had the accident.

Aya felt the psychic force lifting up, so it was the perfect opportunity to strike. Back-rolling, she got back to her feet in an instant and twisted Mikan around. "I'd love to stay and chat with you more, but I still have some business to do," she said before she knocked Mikan out by hitting the back of her neck. "I'm sorry for this, Mikan-chan…" She caught Mikan in her arms and sighed in relief.

"Let her go!" It was Tsubasa who yelled out. He ran towards Aya and tried to step on her shadow. But Aya quickly jumped away, carrying Mikan in her arms. "I said let her go! You AAO guys are only planning on abusing her powers."

"Abuse?" Aya lay Mikan carefully on the ground and stood up. "The AAO will train her to become even stronger. The organization will never abuse her power." She flipped her hair before she placed one hand on her waist.

"As if I'll believe your words," Tsubasa grumbled, clenching his fists. "I won't let you take Mikan without a fight."

Aya laughed maniacally. "Do you honestly think you can beat me?" she questioned, tapping a finger on her cheek. "I'm sure you know that I'm the ace of the Anti-Alice Organization." She was boasting with confidence as usual.

Tsubasa wasn't intimidated by her one bit. He was willing to fight her no matter how strong she was. "Why don't you try me?" he asked, smiling assertively. "I'll have you know that I'm stronger than I look."

"I know how strong you are, Shadow, but your strength is not enough compared to mine," Aya said. "But I can't fight you today. As you can see, I've already obtained my objective. It's time for me to leave." She pulled out five smoke bombs from her pocket and threw them to the ground.

"What the hell?!" Tsubasa exclaimed, covering his eyes with one arm.

The bombs created a massive smoke around the area, enough to cover up the entire house. And it seemed that the smoke only strained the eyes of non-members of the AAO. At that point, the other members of the Anti-Alice Organization knew it was the signal to retreat. The ones who were still conscious helped out their fellow injured members escaped. All of the AAO members had Warp Alice stones with them, so escaping was fairly easy for them.

Ruka, on the other hand, called back the fire wolf that was fighting Natsume and Nobara. "And I was so close to killing you, Natsume," he said, clutching onto the Warp Alice stone tightly. "No matter… I'll get you next time." After saying that, he used the stone and disappeared from sight.

"Come back here, Ruka!" Natsume uttered, rushing through the smoke in search for his best friend. He couldn't see very clearly. In addition to that, he was very exhausted from overusing his Alice.

Nobara was on her knees, panting and coughing hard. The wound on her thigh had reopened and blood was coming out non-stop. "I can't hold on any longer…" She felt dizzy, so weak, and tired. It only took another few seconds until she fell unconscious to the ground.

* * *

"Damn, they all got away," Tono punched the wall beside him in rage. "And they took the little brat with them." Of course, the little brat he was referring to was Mikan.

Everyone, except for Natsume, had gathered in the living room after the fight and confusion. It was evident in their faces that they were exhausted and frustrated. They swore to protect Mikan with their lives, but they weren't able to prevent the Anti-Alice members from taking her away. They couldn't even look straight at Mikan's old man because of the guilt.

Grandpa Sakura had been staring at the floor in a daze, worrying about his precious granddaughter. While the young ones were all fighting outside, he had stayed inside the house and watched over the captured AAO member. In order for the house to be safe, Mikan put up a strong barrier around it. Even though Mikan was kidnapped, he didn't blame the bodyguards for it. He knew very well how hard they fought against the AAO members. He also saw Mikan doing so well against the silver-haired girl.

"What are we going to do now?" Tsubasa said, raking his hair with one hand. "We can't even contact the academy."

Misaki was busy tending to Nobara's wound. It was a good thing she knew proper first-aid procedures. And the Ice Princess was still unconscious. "Mikan is with the organization now," she said in a low voice. "I can't imagine what they'll do to her."

"We can't let it end like this," Tono said, pacing back and forth. "We have to get Mikan back."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Tsubasa questioned the senior. "We don't even know where the organization's headquarters are."

"Wait a minute," Misaki said as she finished bandaging the wound. "Before we do some planning, we have to inform the academy first."

Tono sighed in frustration and leaned his back against the wall. "But we can't even contact the academy," he said. "We still have that AAO guy upstairs. I bet he's still unconscious. We can ask him questions later. If he won't talk, then I'll make him."

Tsubasa threw his gaze on the floor. "The organization will be unstoppable if they manage to make Mikan fight for them," he muttered. "I'm sure they know what to do with her Nullification Alice to make her listen."

"How about Yuka?" the old man asked. "Where is she? Does she know that her daughter has been kidnapped?"

Tono shook his head slowly. "I doubt it," he replied. "Yuka-san was already on a mission before Mikan and the others left the academy."

Just then, three figures appeared in the middle of the living room. Much to everyone's surprise, they were none other than Azumi Yuka, Sakurano Shuuichi, and Shiki. The three of them looked disheveled and tired. Obviously, they went through a lot of trouble before they teleported to the Sakura residence.

"Yuka, is that you?" the old man asked, rising up from his seat. "It is you." He approached the brunette woman and gave her a hug.

"It's good to see you again," Yuka said, after they hugged. "I apologize for barging into your home like this, but I really wanted to see Mikan." She glanced around the room in search for her daughter, but Mikan wasn't around. However, she did notice the glum look on bodyguards' faces. She asked them what was wrong with them, and they all turned their heads away.

Tsubasa scratched the back of his head, feeling a little awkward about telling the mother. "Umm…How should I say this…?" he muttered, looking up at the woman. "Mikan was… Mikan was taken away by the AAO."

Yuka let out a gasp as her eyes grew wide in surprise. "What?! That can't be!" Her hands started to tremble. "Mikan is gone… No…" She dropped on her knees and clamped her mouth with one hand. She was too late. She wasn't able to get to her daughter in time.

"How could you let that happen?" Shiki said with a stern voice. "You were assigned to protect her, yet you let her get kidnapped."

Sakurano placed a hand on Shiki's shoulder. "Shiki-san, I'm sure they did their best to protect Mikan-san," he said calmly. Although he looked so composed, he was actually worried about Mikan. "We can't deny the fact that the organization had gotten stronger. Remember, they also have an Ace."

Shiki glanced at Yuka and knelt down to her level. "Don't worry…" he said. "We'll get your daughter back. We'll do whatever it takes."

"We still have hope," Misaki said, slightly raising a fist. "You see, Natsume-kun and Ibaragi-san caught one member of the organization. He's upstairs sleeping like a baby right now. We can extract information from him once he wakes up." And she'll be happy to pound the daylights out of him if he won't talk.

Yuka gave her a small smile. "That's good," she said. "By the way, where's Natsume-kun?"

Misaki grimaced. "I'm sure that guy is moping right now," she said with a sigh. "He blames himself the most for not being able to protect Mikan. He doesn't even want to talk with us."

"I'm sure he's also sad about the fact his best friend was manipulated by Aya," Tsubasa added.

"Natsume-kun…" Yuka muttered. She knew how protective Natsume was with her daughter. He had always taken good care of her. Her daughter was lucky to have him as a boyfriend. "Maybe I should go check up on him." And maybe cheer him up at the same time or encourage him. She asked Misaki and Tsubasa where Natsume was, and they told her he was at the rooftop.

* * *

He was frustrated at himself. He didn't mind the bruises and wounds he received from the previous battle. He didn't even mind the cold temperature on the roof. He was so angry for failing. He couldn't protect Mikan like he promised. It was also sickening to believe that his best friend had the intention of killing him. Yes, Ruka was only controlled by Aya, but it was still unbelievable. Natsume slammed his fists on the roof, muttering a string of curses in his head.

"Moping around isn't going to help, you know," a voice from behind him said.

Because of his rant and rave, he wasn't able to sense someone coming. And it wasn't just some random person. In fact, he recognized the person's voice very well. It belonged to the mother of his one true love, Azumi Yuka. He can't bring himself to face her, knowing how he failed miserably. "I-I…I'm so—"

"You're an idiot if you think it's your entire fault," Yuka said, taking a seat beside him. "Don't you ever think that you're weak either. Natsume-kun, I know how strong you are. I know how hard you work to protect Mikan from the dangers around."

Natsume shrugged. "But I failed this time…"

Yuka lightly hit his head. "So what?" she said with an exasperated sigh. "You can still make up for your mistakes. Don't tell me you're giving up already? You know, Mikan would never give up. She would always find ways to solve things. Why don't you join the others in coming up with a plan to save her? Everyone is willing to face the organization again."

The raven-haired flame-caster looked up at her. But instead of seeing Yuka's face, he saw Mikan's bubbly face. He was already missing Mikan that he started imagining her. "I want to save her," he said, glancing down again.

"And to do that, we have to work together," Yuka said, patting his back. "Do I make myself clear, Natsume-kun?"

He felt a bit better because of Yuka's words, though his face still looked serious. He thought she would scold him or punish him for his failure, but she encouraged him. He was glad that she has such a positive attitude. "Yeah…whatever…" he belatedly replied, acting cool as usual.

"Good… We really have to do something about Aya," Yuka said, cupping her chin with her hand. "A one on one battle against her is suicide. We have to outsmart her. Sakurano-kun was able to dig some information about her. Aya actually possesses only two Alices."

Natsume raised a brow at this. "Only two? How can that be? I've seen that witch use so many Alices."

"Well, that's because one of her main Alices is the Copy Alice," Yuka told the boy. "The Copy Alice allows her to copy any Alices she sees. The number of Alices she can copy is only seven. Her other Alice is much more dangerous than the first. It's called the Alice of Manipulation. This Alice gives her the ability to manipulate a person's heart and Alice. It can change your whole personality."

"I get it," Natsume muttered with a shrug. "Now I understand why Ruka became my enemy." The Alice of Manipulation turned Ruka's love for Mikan into an obsession. He can never forgive Aya for using his best friend.

"I'm sorry about your friend, Natsume-kun," Yuka said, hugging her knees against her chest. "Hey, why don't we head downstairs? I'm sure Sakurano-kun and Shiki are done explaining things about Aya to the others."

Natsume glanced at her and then rolled his eyes away. "I'll stay here for a while," he replied. He wanted to spend more time alone.

Yuka placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't tell me you're going to mope again?" she said.

No, he wasn't going to mope around. He just wanted a little fresh air to clear his mind. After all, he was still dead worried about his kidnapped girlfriend. He wished he could save her at that very moment. "I'll be fine," he said, trying to sound polite. He didn't want to be rude to his future mother-in-law. "You go on ahead."

Before Yuka could utter one word, Sakurano suddenly appeared in front of them. "Yuka-san, the Anti-Alice member is waking up," he informed. "Tono and the others are already in his quarters. We can ask him about the location of their headquarters."

"That's good," Yuka said, standing up and holding onto Sakurano's wrist. She then looked at Natsume and pulled him up. "Come on… We can't waste anymore time here. Sakurano-kun, teleport us to the room now."

The handsome blonde nodded his head. "As you wish, Yuka-san," he said in such a smooth voice. Activating his Alice, all three of them disappeared from the roof in a flash.

* * *

Aya stood at the window, looking out over the forest, as she had for the last two hours. It was already dark and the mists had hung low. There was an ominous look to everything outside, but her room was warm and cozy. The room was the place where she spent most of her childhood days. It has been her sanctuary, ever since she came to the organization. Not everyone could get a room as fine as hers in headquarters. She felt so lucky to be a part of the organization. Her boss treated her well, she had a loving brother-figure to take care of her, and she can have anything a girl ever wanted. Aside from the grave trainings, her life was a bit grand. In addition to that, her favorite Mikan was finally in the AAO's clutches.

There were so many ways to spend quality time with Mikan everyday. She was sure they would be the best of friends. It was too bad Mikan couldn't remember her past moments with her. It was all because of an accident.

She was about to sit down and relax when her phone rang. Sighing in frustration, she walked over to the phone and answered it on the third ring. The caller was Ruka. "Didn't I tell you not to disturb me?" she said. "We've been through a rough day and I could sure use some peace and quiet."

"Where is Sakura?" Ruka asked. He sounded very serious. "I'm still new to this place and I can't find her anywhere. I want to see how she's doing."

Under the orders of her leader, Aya can't tell the blonde animal-lover where Mikan was. She knew that the technical team of the organization was currently working on a control device to restrain Mikan's Alices. Truth to be known, they actually had one control device prepared for her, but its power wasn't enough to contain Mikan's Alices. Because of that, they had to make a new one. "You can't see her right now, Nogi-san," she said. "Why don't you be patient?"

"Aya-san, remember the promise…"

The silver-haired girl twirled a lock of her hair and sighed. "Yes, I know…" she muttered. "I never forget promises, Nogi-san. Don't you worry. Mikan-chan will be yours soon. You don't have to hurry, because she's with us now."

There was a long pause, and then he spoke up. "Aya-san, may I ask you something?" He sounded a little hesitant this time. "You don't want Natsume for Sakura, so why are you fine with me? And I know how much you like Sakura."

"It's because you're way better than that jerk-face, Hyuuga Natsume," Aya answered. She threw her gaze on the floor and thought about the past. "Besides, I have to repay a debt…" After saying that, she quickly hung up the phone.

Ruka stood staring at the phone for a long time, wondering about Aya's words. What did she mean by a debt? Aya was such an unpredictable girl. Putting Aya aside, he went back to thinking about Mikan again. He wanted to see her badly. He hoped the AAO wasn't doing anything harmful to her. He walked slowly down the hall, passing some AAO agents along the way.

He was still thinking about her when he got to the prison room. He approached prison cell number three and opened the door. The occupant inside had her arms and legs chained to the wall and her face and body were covered with bruises. He could tell how she was tortured. However, no guilt and pain stirred in his heart. He sat down in one of the chairs, looking at the prisoner with a disgusted face.

"I'm surprised they didn't kill you yet, Imai," Ruka coldly said.

The young inventor winced as she opened her eyes. "Should I consider myself lucky then?" she sarcastically said. "Anyway, what do you want? I know you're not here to visit."

"Hmm… Aya-san is not manipulating you anymore, which means that you're back to your regular pathetic self."

Hotaru always found it surprising to hear Ruka talk in such manner, but she managed to maintain a stoic expression all the time. "You're being manipulated by that girl as well," she said to him, and he frowned as soon as she said it. "Hurry up and snap out of it, you idiot."

Ruka shrugged. "I'm fine just the way I am. I don't care if I'm being manipulated." He rose up from the chair and turned his back on the girl. "By the way, we've finally captured Sakura. I'm sure you don't know this yet." He was smirking.

"Mikan was captured?" Hotaru could no longer keep up the façade anymore. "How? When?"

"It's all thanks to Aya-san," Ruka replied.

Hotaru narrowed her amethyst eyes in anger. "Don't you dare hurt her, Ruka-kun," she demanded.

"Imai, I will never hurt her," Ruka told her. "I won't let anything bad happen to her, as long as I'm here." He spun around, walked up to Imai, and slapped her across the face. "She'll be happy with me and Aya-san. She doesn't need you or Natsume." With that, he slapped her again.

She had the urge to hit him back, but she was all chained up. She could hardly move at all. "Ruka-kun, do you really think Mikan will be happy with this? You'll end up hurting her." She rolled her eyes away from his blue ones. "If you really love her, then you should consider her happiness—" She got cut off when Ruka punched her face.

"Just shut the hell up, Imai!" he exclaimed furiously. "You're as annoying as that bastard, Natsume!" He punched her in the stomach, knocking the breath out of her and making her drop on her knees. He smirked in satisfaction as he rubbed his knuckles. His lifeless blue eyes were turning darker in color. Aya's manipulation was growing stronger and stronger on him.

_To be continued… _

* * *

JC: Ruka is a totally different person here. He's doing so many things beyond imagination. He's going to do something drastic in the next chapter too. Please don't hate him. Ruka-pyon is just being manipulated. He'll be saved soon. I'll explain about what happened to Narumi-sensei. And expect a long chapter. Please review. No flaming.


	41. The Promise to Protect

JC: I'm sleepy, stressed out, and practically exhausted. I rarely have time to sit in front of my computer all day. I go out and work, and sometimes play sports. Because of my schedule, my writing skills can sometimes get rusty. It's also been a while since I last read a novel. I do love sports, but I also love to write. I can't do many things at the same time. Well, enough about my problems. Let's get on with the story before you get bored.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 41: The Promise to Protect

"The organization is proving to be more difficult than before. They've become stronger and less merciful." The high school principal fingered through the piles of paper that all seemed to have information about the Anti-Alice Organization. He paused to look at Aya's profile and cupped his chin to think. "This girl… I never thought this is the same girl we failed to get out hands on eight years ago." He placed the paper down and looked over to the two other principals present in his office. He noted the middle school principal's change of expression—a moment's pity, perhaps?

The elementary principal was browsing through the record of the organization's leader. "It says here that he disappeared four years ago," he muttered. "Why did he only appear now? And how the hell did he manage to recruit that Aya girl?"

The silver-haired man stood up from his chair and went to the window. "I'm afraid I don't have much information about him," he replied. "But we do know that he's a mad man. His sole intention is to bring Alice Academy down. His forces will become even stronger, now that he has my niece." He had told himself that he'll protect the only daughter of his dead brother. He swore that he'll do everything in his power to get Mikan back.

"Do you think they will be able to locate the organization's headquarters?" The elementary principal sounded doubtful.

Yesterday, the high school principal came up with a plan to retrieve Sakura Mikan from the AAO. First of all, they have to locate the headquarters. Truth to be known, not one of them knew where it was— even Persona and the Dangerous Ability students had no idea. However, the captured AAO member, who was tortured with fire by Natsume, was able to provide them with the information about the portals hidden all around Japan. The most dominant place was Tokyo and the next one was Osaka. There was another one rumored to be hidden in a forest. The high school principal knew it was risky to send out the student operatives, but the academy was short with men at the moment. Of course, he didn't send them out alone. All of them had partners. He divided each of them according to their Alice compatibility.

The Dangerous Ability moderator, Persona, was paired up with Sakurano Shuuichi. Azumi Yuka was with Shiki, since they've been partners for so long and they worked well together. Kawashima Asuka's partner, unfortunately for her, was none other than the Air manipulator, Matsudaichi Hayate. Last, but not the least, Hyuuga Natsume was paired up with the infamous shadow prince, Andou Tsubasa. All of the people mentioned received orders to go out and find the portals. Meanwhile, the others who were left behind in the academy were tasked to keep the academy safe just in case the AAO decides to attack.

The high school principal had taken into consideration the dangers of the mission. He knew that some AAO members will not hesitate to kill the operatives he sent. So, before they left, he had given them each an Immunity Bracelet. The said bracelet was created by a Technical Class teacher in Alice Academy America. Not only will the bracelet protect them from physical harm, it will also give them the ability to be immune to Pheromone and Hypnotism type Alices.

"Even with the bracelets on, there's no guarantee they will be safe from the silver-haired girl," the middle school said calmly, though she was vaguely worried about Mikan. "And the real motive of this plan is extremely crazy."

"I'm aware of that," the high school principal said, ignoring the sarcasm. "But we have to save my niece and the other students."

"And restore this academy's good name," the elementary principal added.

Sighing, the enigmatic woman said, "We can only wait here and hope that everything will be all right." She opened her fan and covered her mouth with it. "I, for one, am uncertain about the lives of our students."

The elementary school principal shot her a confused look. "What do you mean, Hii-sama?" he asked her.

A long pause was followed by a serious gaze. "All I'm saying is that this will not end well," she muttered, closing her fan. "Everyone is hanging on a thin thread, and one of them is going to be cut." She had an expressionless face, but her eyes had a hint of concern in them.

"Hii-sama, are you serious about that?" the elementary principal asked. A bead of sweat was trickling down from his forehead to his chin.

The high school principal stayed quiet and composed, though he was getting more worried for his niece. He knew he had to take Hii-sama's words seriously. Knowing Hii-sama, she might have asked her flower maiden—the one with the Pre-cognition ability—to foretell the future. "Hii-sama, what have you learned?" he asked.

The woman turned her head away. "The fortune wasn't clear, but it was apparent that someone is going to lose his/her life," she explained in a calm voice. "It can be one of us or one of our students. This is something we cannot avoid, for it is fate. We have to be prepared for it."

* * *

"_If she chooses you in the end, I will still continue to love her. I made a promise to myself that I'll protect the smile on Sakura's face." Ruka held out his hand towards his raven-haired best friend and smiled genuinely at him. "No matter what happens, we'll always stay as friends." His sapphire blue eyes glimmered with happiness. _

_Natsume returned a smile, something he rarely showed, and took his hand. "If you break your promise, I'll make you pay," he said coolly. "And if I break mine, feel free to do whatever you want with me." _

_The blonde boy let out a light chuckle. "Natsume, it's so like you to talk that way," he said. _

Natsume woke up from the dream and drew in a deep breath. His best friend in his dream was still the kind and good-hearted Ruka. And the promises they made were both important to them. Ruka was way different now, but Natsume wondered if he could still remember the promises deep inside his heart. He understood the concept of Aya's Manipulation Alice and figured that there was a slight chance for Ruka to revert back by himself.

He got out of bed and fixed himself a cup of coffee in the kitchen. He was currently in a five-star hotel in Tokyo. After receiving orders from the high school principal, he was assigned to investigate certain places around the city that was rumored to have portals. The principal theorized that one of the portals might lead them to the Anti-Alice Organization Headquarters. He wasn't alone for the mission. His partner had woken up earlier than him and as of the moment, he had no idea where he was.

After finishing his coffee, he ate cereal for breakfast. He wasn't good in the kitchen, so he didn't dare to whip something up. He then took a shower after eating and got dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans.

"Man, that Rui always gives me a hard time," Andou Tsubasa said as he stepped into the room. He looked rather disheveled. "I can't believe he tried to kiss me. I swear I'm going to kill him one of these days." There was an evil glint in his eyes, as flames appeared behind him anime-style.

"And where have you been, shadow?" Natsume questioned his partner for the mission. "I hope you weren't messing around."

Tsubasa shrugged. "My kouhai was kidnapped, and you think I was messing around?" he said, sounding a little annoyed, as he sat down on the bed. He wasn't in a good mood. "I was working. I'm sure you still remember Rui. He's an employee here and he gave me some info about the organization. Anti-Alice members are regulars in this hotel. Rui's explanation was kind of weird. For example, when three AAO members check in, only two check out." Well, even though Amane Rui, an Alice Academy Alumni student gifted with the Curse Alice, was annoying as hell, he was still helpful.

Natsume leaned his back against the wall and folded his arms in front of his chest. "So, there's a possibility that the portal is somewhere in this hotel?"

A smirk appeared on Tsubasa's face. "I've already informed the academy about this," he said, rising up from the bed. "And we should start searching for that portal. There are a lot of rooms in this hotel, so it's better if we split up."

"You don't have to tell me what to do," Natsume said nonchalantly. "Let's hurry things up here."

Tsubasa sighed. "Don't be such a brat, Natsume," he said, walking up to the flame-caster. "I know you're worried about Mikan and Ruka-pyon, but you can't rush into things. Everyone from the academy is doing the best they can. The teachers and staff are protecting the remaining students of the academy, the medical team continues to take care of the patients, and operatives are searching for the AAO in different parts of Japan. We will save Mikan and the others very soon, okay?" He patted Natsume's shoulder and walked towards the door.

Natsume straightened up and slid one hand into his pocket. "Andou…" he called to him, and Tsubasa casually looked back at him. "If I ever snap, can I trust you to stop me?" He was saying this with eyes full of seriousness.

The shadow manipulator was a bit surprised with that. "Did I just hear you right? You're asking if you can trust me." He pointed a finger at himself. "Are you sick or something?"

"I'm not sick, you moron," Natsume said. "Just answer the stupid question."

Tsubasa smirked. "Stupid question, huh?" he muttered. "Well, you can trust me. You can count on me."

Yeah, Natsume had to admit that Tsubasa was reliable, despite being carefree most of the time. He was one of the people he secretly respected, but he doesn't hesitate to be act indifferently towards the senior. "Hearing you say that makes me doubt you even more," he said to Tsubasa. "Are you sure an idiot like you can be trusted?"

A vein popped out of Tsubasa's head. "As usual, you are such a foul-mouthed moron," he said with a forced smile. "If I get Mikan back, I won't hand her over to you easily. I still don't like the fact she lost her virginity to you. You tainted her innocence because you can't control your stupid hormones." It was amazing how he was able to say all of that with a smiling face.

Natsume decided not to retort, knowing how pissed off the senior student was. Tsubasa was normally nice, but he can be pretty scary when provoked. Well, Tsubasa was right about him being unable to control his hormones. He just found it hard to resist Mikan.

* * *

Way back in the past, when Sugita Aya was just a simple girl, many people around her thought of her as a girl with no future. Her life held no meaning. She had a weak body, therefore she gets sick easily. And the fact being an Alice was a burden to her. Her Alices weren't gifts at all. They were more like a curse. Her Alices were the sole reason why she was weak. Her childhood days were lonesome. She and her parents kept moving around from one place to another. She spent most of her time inside her home and she would cry whenever she saw children playing outside. She had always wished she was normal.

Her only happiness was her parents. A supportive father and a loving mother taught her all the beautiful things in the world. They showered her with love, care, trust, and support. Not just that, they were always there to guide her. Despite having such wonderful parents, she still longed for a friend her age. It was pretty normal for a little girl like her to seek a friend. She had watched several TV shows featuring friendship. Friendship was such a special world. She wondered what it was like to have a friend.

Aya sat up on her bed and hugged one of her pillows like a stuffed toy. "Otou-san, Okaa-san…" she muttered under her breath. Her scarlet eyes were slowly turning back to the color russet. Her much kinder side was showing itself again. "I've missed you so much." After saying this, her silver hair became darker in color. The regular Aya was back. She would always cry whenever she thought about her parents.

While she was taking a trip down the memory lane, she heard someone knocking on her door. It was a gentle knock. She had a hunch it was Reo, so she quickly hopped off the bed, not minding to change her appearance. With a lovely smile on her face, she opened the door. "Ani-sama, hel—" Her smile faded when she saw that it wasn't Reo. "N-Nogi-san? W-What are you doing here? And…H-How did you find my r-room?"

Ruka let himself in and sat down on the couch. "Reo told me," he said, leaning back on his seat. "Mind if I hang around here for a while? I'm pretty tired from searching for Sakura since yesterday."

"I'm sorry if I can't tell you where Mikan-chan is," Aya said, closing the door. "The leader will get mad at me."

"It's all right," Ruka replied with a shrug. He glanced around the room for a while, taking note of the expensive furniture and rug, and the picture frames of Mikan on the wall. "You're really an avid fan of Sakura. I'm impressed."

Aya shyly blushed as she took a seat beside him. "Mikan-chan is so easy to like," she said, fiddling with her fingers. "She's so beautiful and strong. I know you understand my feelings, Nogi-san, because you like her too."

Ruka looked at Aya and smiled. "It's love, Sugita, not like," he told her. "I love Sakura with my whole heart."

She sensed a strong aura of love coming out of Ruka. His feelings were so real and pure. She admired him for that. His loyalty was one of his best traits. "Nogi-san, you deserve Mikan-chan more than anyone else," she said. "I just can't seem to understand why she chose Hyuuga-san over you. Hyuuga-san is such a pig-head. You're way better than him, especially in personality."

"I'm not worried about Natsume anymore," Ruka said, brushing his fingers through his blonde locks. "I'll make sure Sakura will choose me now."

Aya giggled as her eyes turned scarlet again. "And Mikan-chan will have me for a best friend," she said, placing a hand on her cheek. "I'm sure I'm a lot better than Imai-san." At that point, her hair became silver.

Ruka's lips curved into a malicious grin. "Speaking of Imai, I gave her one hell of a beating," he said it so casually. "If you think she was ugly before, wait till you see her now. Words can't even describe her pathetic state."

"Nogi-san, you sure are cruel!" Aya laughed in a classy manner. "You know, you can kill her off any time you want. Once she's dead, you can leave her body to rot. What do you think of that?"

"Aya-san, I think you're the cruel one," Ruka said, smiling sinisterly. "That kind of suggestion is simply sadistic."

She twirled a lock of her hair as she crossed her legs. "What can I say?" she proudly said. "It's in my blood to be this way."

"In your blood, huh?" Ruka raised an eyebrow. "Were your parents cold-blooded murderers as well?" he asked.

Aya's face darkened. "My parents were not murderers," she icily said, gripping Ruka's neck. "They wouldn't harm a fly. They were always nice to me, so don't you dare say anything bad about them. Do I make myself clear, Nogi-san?" Her grip became tighter, making it harder for Ruka to breath. She would easily be agitated when it comes to her parents.

Ruka struggled to get away from her, but her grip was so strong. "I…I'm…s-sorry…Aya-san…" he managed to say. "I…I…I…didn't mean…to…" He was seriously running out of air.

Just then, Aya's kinder side took over and released him. "Nogi-san, I'm so sorry!" she said, bowing her head. "My other side always gets carried away when it comes to my parents. Please don't get mad at me."

The blonde boy took a moment to regain his breath before he spoke. "It's all right, Sugita," he said, rubbing his neck. "I didn't know you were sensitive about your parents. I'll be careful about it next time." To be honest, he thought Aya was really going to kill him.

Aya felt embarrassed about what her other side did and she wanted to apologize more. As she was about to speak, her cellphone rang. She pulled out the phone from her pocket and saw the caller's name on the screen. "It's the leader," she said. In an instant, she shifted to the silver-haired Aya and answered the call. "What is it, leader? Do you need me for something?" She listened carefully to the leader's words. And when the call ended, she had a big smile on her face.

"What did the leader say, Aya-san?" Ruka asked.

"Nogi-san, good news…" Aya told him as she reached for his shoulders. "We can go see Mikan-chan now."

* * *

"How much farther?" Kawashima Asuka asked, watching the driver, Matsudaichi Hayate, with a piercing gaze that seemed dangerous enough to kill. She was anxious to save her brother, Ryou, and Mikan from the Anti-Alice Organization. The principals initially didn't want her to embark on a dangerous mission, but she insisted. She will do anything to save her loved ones—even if it means putting herself on the line.

"Not long." Because of the thickening fog, Hayate's foot eased off the accelerator a little more, slowing the car to barely thirty. They were currently driving through a forest and he can't afford an accident. "This forest was created by Misaki-sensei's great-grandfather, who also had the Plant Manipulation Alice. According to the reports, the AAO used to come here to train, which is why the principals sent us here to investigate."

The forest was definitely creepy enough to give her Goosebumps. Apart from the thick fog, the daunting trees seemed like monsters. "I don't like this place," she said, trying to maintain a strong front. "I hope there's a portal here."

The air manipulator stopped the car the minute the fog blocked his view. "This is so annoying!" He stepped out the car and used his Alice to blow the fog away. However, there was just too much fog, so his effort was rather useless. "Damn! How are we supposed to search for the portal in this big place?!" he uttered, scratching his head in frustration.

Letting out a sigh, Asuka got off the car and approached the guy. "Are you an idiot?" she asked nonchalantly, and Hayate shot her a glare. At that moment, she pulled out her trusty paper fan and whacked Hayate's head. "Have you forgotten why I'm here?! I can't believe you! Are you sure you're an Elite Operative?!"

Hayate rubbed his poor head before he looked back angrily at Asuka. "You bitch!" he yelled. "You didn't have to hit me with that stupid thing."

Asuka whacked him again and shrugged. "You really are an idiot," she said. "The principals didn't assign me to this mission just to be your companion, you know. They knew I had the gadgets for this kind of situation. With my brains and your skills, we won't have any trouble going through this fog. I hope this is making some sense to you."

"Okay…Okay…I understand," Hayate grunted, straightening up. "Just don't hit me with that fan again."

The two of them began their search for the portal. They made sure to stay close to one another, knowing how a person can easily get lost in a fog. Asuka also used her gadgets to make things a lot easier for them and Hayate would fly to the air every once in a while to see where they were. Their little search went for an hour until they came across an abandoned house. They noticed how rundown the house was and went inside to check. Unfortunately, there was no portal inside the house, but they did find a secret door on the floor.

Hayate tried pulling the door open, but it won't budge. "Okay, maybe I'll just break through this door with my Alice," he said, forming a wind sphere in his hand.

Asuka placed a hand on his shoulder. "Why don't you let me handle this?" she said as she pulled out a small device from her pocket. "This door might be Alice proof, so let's use technology to destroy it." She knelt down and placed the device on the door. She then entered the code on the device.

"What is that thing?" Hayate asked.

"You'll see…" she answered as she pressed the red button to activate it. The device emitted a beeping sound and the door started to turn into dust. "This is quite handy, if you want to break in." Once the door was gone, the device just flew into her hand automatically.

Hayate was rather impressed with her invention. "Pretty cool…" However, it reminded him of a certain raven-haired inventor he admired. "I wonder how she's doing right now. I hope she's not hurt or anything."

Asuka turned to him and raised a brow. "Who are you talking about?" she asked.

"Cool Blue Sky," he sadly replied, scratching the back of his head. "Imai Hotaru…" He lowered his gaze on the floor.

With a finger, she pushed his head back and slowly cupped a hand on the round of his shoulder. "I can't believe someone would have a crush on Imai Hotaru," she said, and Hayate protested that he didn't have a crush on Hotaru. But Asuka was not a dense girl. She was as sharp as a knife. "I'm going to feel sorry for you, if you two will become a couple. I think your wallet's going to cry. Imai is not actually the nicest girl in the world." There was pure sarcasm in her voice.

Hayate got upset with her and slapped her hand away. "So what?" He didn't care if Hotaru was bad-mouthed, indifferent, greedy, geeky and somewhat strange. He still loved her with all his heart. "Cool Blue Sky is an amazing girl for me. Truth is I'm really worried about her right now. I want to save her quickly."

Asuka sighed. "I understand how you feel," she said. "We all want to save the ones we love." She thought about Kyo, Ryou, and Mikan again, and wished for their safety.

"Then what are we doing here talking?" he said, going back to his usual demeanor. "Let's stop wasting our time." He walked over the big hole on the floor and jumped in without hesitation.

"Hey, wait up!" she exclaimed. She looked at the hole and realized how deep it was. There weren't even stairs. "That idiot! He jumped in so recklessly." She was definitely going to punish him later. She stuck a wing sticker on her back, before she dived into the hole.

* * *

Humming a tune of a familiar song, Aya was walking, twirling, and prancing ahead of Ruka. There was a lively look in her scarlet eyes and a smile that seemed to shine. She was happy, because she was going to see Mikan again. She had so many plans for Mikan. She was eager to spend quality time with her and formed a bond stronger than what she had with Imai Hotaru. She was going to be Mikan's best friend from now on, she declared silently in her mind. Eight years ago, she got separated from Mikan. But she will never ever let that happen again. She and Mikan will be together forever, she happily thought with a giggle.

Ruka couldn't help but raised a brow, thinking absurdly of Aya's sudden giggle. Although he was sure she was thinking about Mikan again, like she always does, he still asked her why she was such in a good mood. Aya just gave him a smile in return and twirled around like a playful child. Ruka sighed and then smiled at her. Seeing Aya acting like a child made it less hard to believe that she was the ace of the Anti-Alice Organization.

She stopped at a door and looked at the panel of numerical buttons. A code must be inputted in order to open the steel door. "This door is not only strong against bombs, it's also Alice proof," she said as she inputted the five-digit code. Just as she was about to press enter, her cellphone suddenly rang. Grunting, she answered it. "This is Aya speaking."

"It's me, Aya," a smooth voice spoke on the other line. Aya recognized it well. The voice belonged to her favorite Ani-sama, Mouri Reo.

"Ani-sama, why did you call?" she asked, her face beaming with a smile. "Do you need me for something? Just say the word and I'll be there."

Reo heaved a deep sigh before speaking. "You have a mission. The leader wants you to report to him immediately."

Aya pouted. "Eh? A mission?" she muttered, twirling her hair. "But I wanted to see Mikan-chan."

"Don't be stubborn, Aya," Reo told her. "You don't want the leader to be upset now."

"Okay, Ani-sama…" she replied in a sad tone. She put away the phone and faced Ruka with a grimace. "Nogi-san, you go see Mikan-chan without me. I have some important business to take care of."

"When will you be back?" Ruka asked.

Aya gave him an uncertain look. "No idea," she replied. "I hope the leader isn't assigning me to a dangerous mission. It might take forever. Well, I better go now. Just don't do anything to Mikan-chan yet, understand? I know you're anxious to make her yours, but you have to give her some time first. She just got here and I'm sure she's confused. You don't have to worry about her Alices either. The scientist gave her a control device." After that, she ran off.

Ruka turned to the door and lifted his hand to press the enter button. "I'm going to see Sakura again," he said. He wondered how he was going to start a conversation with her. It would be awkward for the both of them, since he was an enemy of the academy. "Here goes…" He pressed the button and the door slid opened in an instant. He walked slowly into the room, which was decorated with exquisite furniture. It was fit enough for a princess.

He approached the bed and saw the brunette sleeping so soundly. To his surprise, the supple sheets were the only thing covering her body. Her shoulders and a bit of her cleavage were exposed for him to see, and her hair, so silky and shiny, was spread out on the pillow. She looked absolutely delicate and deceptively frail. Ruka imagined himself looking at sleeping beauty. The one thing that annoyed him was the Sakura necklace around her neck. He knew it was a gift from Natsume. As he sat down on the bed, he laid eyes on her lips. He remembered the time he kissed her. It felt so good to taste her sweetness. At this point, he wanted to kiss her again, to savor her like never before. He slowly leaned down, touching her lips with his fingers, as he smiled gently. He was about to kiss her when—

"Natsume…" she whispered, and Ruka's eyes grew wide in surprise. The blonde boy quickly stood up and turned his head away. Mikan, on the other hand, slowly opened her eyes and saw him. "Ruka-pyon…?"

Ruka looked at her again and forced a smile on his face. "Sakura, you're finally awake," he said. "How are you feeling?"

One thing for sure, Mikan felt so weak and light-headed. She can't even remember a thing before she woke up. "Where are we, Ruka-pyon?" she asked, and Ruka told her that she was in the AAO headquarters. But Mikan didn't get surprised. "I see. So, I was finally captured by Aya, correct? And you helped her with her plans." She was speaking in a feeble voice.

"Sakura, things are going to be different from now on," Ruka said. "We're not bound to the academy anymore. We can do whatever we want as members of the Anti-Alice Organization. We can finally be together."

Mikan noticed how lifeless his eyes were and felt sadder. "Ruka-pyon, we don't belong here," she said. "The organization is our enemy. Let's go back to the academy, please…"

Ruka shook his head violently. "If we go back to the academy, then I'll lose you again!" he uttered, clenching his fists tightly. "You'll be with Natsume again. Sakura, I don't want to let you go. Can't you see how much I love you?! I want you to be mine and mine alone!"

Somehow, Mikan found her strength and sat up on the bed. "Snap out of it, Ruka-pyon!" she exclaimed, and Ruka just turned his head away while blushing. She wondered what was wrong with him until she noticed that there was nothing covering her chest. She let out a shriek and covered her chest with the sheet. How embarrassing. She just let Ruka saw her like that.

"Sakura, why can't you just accept my feelings?" he said, regaining his composure back. "I can give you anything you want. I'll be a much better guy than Natsume for you."

Mikan guessed it was pointless to talk some sense into him while being under Aya's control. She decided to use her Alice to return him back to normal. "Ruka-pyon, I really appreciate the feelings you have for me, but I'm sorry. I can only see you as a friend, but you're still important to me." She had reached out for his hand. "Please understand, Ruka-pyon." She attempted to activate her Alice, but her it didn't activate.

Ruka faced her again and sighed. "Are you trying to use Nullification on me?" he coldly asked. "Unfortunately, you can't use your Alice anymore. Just take a look at your arm."

"Eh?" Mikan looked at her arm and saw a golden armband with rubies around it. "Is this a control device?"

"That's right," he replied. "With that on, you're pretty much helpless." He suddenly pinned her down on the bed.

Mikan's heart pounded in fear. She was in a real pinch. She can't use her Alices and her good friend was losing control over himself. "Ruka-pyon, please don't…" she muttered. "This is not like you."

"Sakura, I want you to forget about Natsume," he demanded, narrowing his gaze at her. "Forget everything about him!"

"No!" the brunette retorted, shaking her head. "I don't want to forget about Natsume, Ruka-pyon, and that's because I love him! I love Natsume!"

Ruka felt angrier and more jealous than before. "Then you leave me with no choice, Sakura," he said, leaning his face closer to hers. "I just have to make you forget about him. Don't you worry, I'll try to be gentle with you." His voice and his eyes were full of malice.

"Don't do it, Ruka-py—" She was cut off abruptly by Ruka's aggressive kiss. She was too shocked to move at first, but when Ruka started trailing butterfly kisses down her neck, she began to struggle. "Stop it, Ruka-pyon!" She tried to push him away, but her strength was useless against his. He was like an animal totally acting on his instincts. He was savoring her so lustfully, and Mikan couldn't help sprout tears. She cried, not because she was afraid, but because she felt sorry for Ruka.

The minute Ruka licked her cheek, he tasted something salty. He took a good look at her face and saw tears streaming down from her eyes. "S-Sakura…you're crying…" he muttered, and Mikan stared at him sorrowfully. At that point, one of his eyes was gradually regaining its original color. "Sakura…I…I…" He looked confused, dismayed, and shaken up. His true self was emerging again. Once his heart started to ache, he jumped out of the bed and dashed out of the room.

Mikan sat up on the bed, clutching the sheets tightly against her chest, as she continued to sob. "Ruka-pyon…" she muttered his name as she lowered her gaze. "Ruka-pyon…"

The blonde locked the door and leaned his back against it. "Damn it…I made her cry again…" He covered a part of his face with one hand as the other one balled into a fist. He slid down against the door until he sat down on the floor. He didn't know what to do anymore. His mind was telling him to go back and force her to love him, but his heart was telling another thing. "I promised to protect the smile on her face, yet I…I made her cry…" He buried his face into his palms and gritted his teeth. He felt like the worst being on the planet.

* * *

Reo walked into the infirmary to visit a certain blonde teacher again. He approached the bed and grimaced at the sight of patient. "Naru-senpai…" he said softly. He seemed expressionless, but it was depressing for him to see Narumi in such a miserable state. The senior he used to admire during his school days was in a comatose state. He shouldn't feel any remorse for Narumi, but he can't force himself not to care about him. Because of that, he felt angry at himself. "I'm supposed to hate you, but…" He just simply can't.

Aya had placed him in that state. The girl had nearly killed the poor teacher, if it weren't for her other side. Having Narumi taken away from the academy wasn't in the original plan. He actually wanted Narumi dead. However, Aya brought him to the organization, with his body badly beaten up and bleeding all over. The organization decided to use him in the future, which was why he was treated.

"The patient won't wake up anytime soon, Reo-san," the doctor said, approaching the singer. "But you're always here. Were you tasked to watch over him?"

Reo shrugged. "No," he simply said. "A task like that is simply boring."

"I heard that you were once a student in Alice Academy," the doctor said, looking at Reo. "And I believe this person is your senior."

Reo couldn't deny that fact—even if he wanted to. "Yeah… But he's a traitor. He deceived me. I can never forgive him."

The doctor raised a brow. "If you can never forgive him, then why don't you just kill him right now?" he said nonchalantly as he spun around on his heels. "Nobody here can stop you, Reo-san."

The singer brushed his hand through his auburn hair and heaved a sigh. "Where's the fun in that?" he said, pretending to be cold-blooded. "I want to kill him slowly and painfully, and not in this state. Besides, the organization can use him. His Human Pheromone Alice is quite strong."

"Whatever you say, Reo-san," the doctor replied with a smirk. He walked over to the door and reached for the door knob. "Reo-san, I hope you're not going soft. The organization has no room for soft people." He opened the door, casting one wicked smile at Reo, and exited the room.

Reo folded his arms in front of his chest. "What a weirdo…" he muttered. "I'm not going soft…" At least, that was what he thought.

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: Grr…I was planning to include Nonoko and Kyo for this chapter, but I got tired. You'll get some Nonoko and Kyo moments in the next chapter. I'll also add up some Tsubasa and Misaki too. It's going to take a while before Natsume and Mikan will be together again. What Hii-sama said is a big hint. Something dreadful is going to happen soon, but I won't tell you when. We all can't have happy endings in terrible situations, okay? Don't get confused when Ruka refers Aya as 'Aya-san' and 'Sugita'. He calls her Aya-san when she's in silver-haired mode and Sugita for the normal one. I hope that's clear enough. Please review. No flaming!


	42. Trial of Emotions

JC: Time for some couple moments. I haven't written Kyo and Nonoko moments for a while, and I'm so happy that I can finally do some here. Tsubasa and Misaki will have their moments too. Too bad for Natsume, because Mikan is still with the organization. She won't be saved yet.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 42: Trial of Emotions

After Ruka left, Mikan tried to hold it together. She told herself to stop crying. Yet, the tears kept coming down. She kept swallowing and thinking about Ruka. She silently wished Natsume was there to hold her in his arms. She wished Natsume was there to help her with Ruka. Her friend was totally a different person. Even though she wanted to save him, she couldn't. She could, but her Alices were sealed. She felt so useless, so helpless. She hugged her own legs and laid her chin on her knees. She held the blanket against her hot, swollen amber eyes and sighed deeply. What was she going to do now?

She got off the bed and grabbed the robe hanging from a chair. She donned herself in the robe and walked towards the closet. She can't just bear the thought of being seen naked again by someone. She found a long-sleeved buttoned shirt and white panties, and decided to wear them. Much to her dismay, the shirt only reached up to her mid-thighs. It was too short for comfort. But it was the only thing available to cover her body. She went to the bathroom next and saw the wonderful bathtub there. It reminded her of her own bathroom back at the academy. There were no exits in the bathroom, so she went out and checked the whole room. However, all exits were blocked, and her only escape was through the locked door.

Heaving a big sigh, she sat down on the bed and glanced a mirror standing across her. Looking at her reflection, she noticed the Sakura necklace around her neck. "I'm still wearing it…" she said, her lips curving into a smile. "I'm glad they didn't take it away…" She gently clasped the pendant and closed her eyes, as she began thinking about the guy she loved the most.

And when she opened her eyes again, her expression became determined. "I can't just sit here and do nothing," she said. "I have to think of a way to get out here. I'm sure everyone is worried about me."

She approached the door and placed a hand against it. She sincerely doubted that she'll be able to break the door with brute force. She might have a chance if she can use her Alice. "But I'm wearing this control device…" she muttered, trying to remove it. "This can only be removed by the person who placed it on me." She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the door seriously. How was she going to break out? In the midst of her thinking, she heard voices behind the door. Quickly, she pressed her ear against the door to listen in.

"Nogi, what are you doing here?" a familiar voice spoke.

"Wait a minute," Mikan muttered. "That sounds like Hibiki-kun." She was right about that. Hibiki Ryou, the owner of the Alice of Magnetism, was standing right next to the door and looking down at the blonde boy.

Ruka slowly got back to his feet as he avoided eye contact with Ryou. "I just had a talk with Sakura," he belatedly answered, turning his back at Ryou. "I can't say it went well."

Ryou smirked and placed both hands on his waist. "I guess you're not good enough for Mikan-sama, Nogi," he said with a chuckle. "You're just another victim of unrequited love. Maybe I should give it try. I still love Mikan-sama until now."

"Hibiki, don't you dare," Ruka said coldly. "Now is not the time to fool around with her."

"Hmph…You just want Mikan-sama all to yourself," Ryou said with a shrug.

Ruka controlled himself from strangling Ryou. "Hibiki, don't you have work to do?" he questioned. "If you're being lazy, Aya-san will punish you again. Remember, you failed to capture Sakura's mother last time. I don't think you would like to experience hell again."

Ryou chuckled nervously. "Hey, don't remind me of that," he said, swallowing hard. "Aya-san is so scary. I can't believe she almost killed me. Okay, I guess I have to go." Without a further ado, he dashed down the hallways and disappeared at a corner.

"Good riddance…" Ruka muttered, leaning his back against the door. His heart was aching yet again and he found it difficult to breath. "Damn… What the hell is wrong with me?" He wasn't aware of it, but one of his eyes had returned to normal. This could only mean one thing. His true self was trying to take over the darkness inside of him. The minute his heart throbbed with an excruciating pain, he bawled and dropped on his knees.

Mikan heard his bawling and immediately got worried about him. "Ruka-pyon, what's the matter?" she asked, banging on the door. "Are you all right? Ruka-pyon, answer me!"

Ruka clutched his chest. "Sakura, something's wrong with me!" he uttered, moaning in pain. He fell down to the floor and curved into a ball. "My chest hurts so much!" It was torture for him. He felt like dying.

"Your chest?!" Mikan banged on the door harder this time. "Ruka-pyon, open the door. Let me help you!" Her intention wasn't to escape anymore. It was to help her friend.

He couldn't stand up. All he could do was to stay on the floor, tossing and turning, as he screamed in pain. No one was there to see him or to help him. Was he going to die? No! He didn't want to die. He has so many things to do. He had to talk to Mikan properly again and apologized for what he has done. He had to reconcile with his best friend again. With beads of sweat trailing down his cheeks, he gradually sat up and drew in a deep breath. His other eye was slowly showing its true color once again. And as he got back on his feet, he returned to his normal self—the real Nogi Ruka.

Mikan kept banging on the door. "Ruka-pyon?! Ruka-pyon?!" She was receiving no answer. Her heart pounded in nervousness. What if some terrible happened to her friend? She can't bear losing Ruka. "Please… Are you all right? Say something… Please…"

Panting hard, Ruka leaned his temple against the door. "S-Sakura…" he muttered. "I…I'm all right…"

"Ruka-pyon?"

"I'm all right now…" Ruka pushed himself away and glanced at the panel. "I'm sorry for making you worried, Sakura. I'm sorry for everything." He inputted the code and pressed the enter key. Once the door opened, he came face to face with the brunette.

Mikan gasped as she saw how weak and exhausted Ruka looked. "What happened to you, Ruka-pyon?" she asked, reaching for his face. "Please tell me… Maybe I can help you." She caressed his cheek, making the blonde boy blushed a little.

"Sakura, you still treat me nicely," he hesitantly said, turning his head away, "even though I tried to—"

Just then, Mikan embraced him, stopping Ruka from continuing his sentence. "Ruka-pyon, you're back!" she happily said, tears forming in her amber orbs. "I can feel it. I know you're back to your old self. I'm so glad, Ruka-pyon."

Ruka was astonished by the amount of sincerity she was showing to him. Mikan was so kind-hearted that she will forgive anyone—even her greatest enemies. He felt that he doesn't deserve being treated kindly by her. "Sakura, I've done such terrible things to you and Natsume…" he said in a low tone. "And I've also t-tortured I—"

"It wasn't your fault, Ruka-pyon," she said, facing him with a smile. "You were under Aya's control. You weren't yourself. I completely understand."

"Still, I got manipulated so easily," Ruka said, gritting his teeth. "And that's because I'm so weak."

Mikan positioned his head between her hands, making him focus his eyes on her. "Ruka-pyon, listen to me," she said, sounding firm yet gentle at the same time. "You're one of the strongest people I've met. I don't think a weak person can break Aya's control."

"Sakura…" Ruka couldn't contain his emotions anymore. "Thank you…" He hugged her tenderly as he started crying on her shoulder.

"Did you know?" she asked, rubbing his back for comfort. "Strong men are not afraid to cry. I do believe in that saying. How about you, Ruka-pyon?"

Ruka's lips curved into a smile. "I believe it too," he answered. He released her from his arms and faced her. "Sakura, I think it's time for us to get out of this place. Let's go back to Alice Academy together." He held out his hand to her.

And Mikan gladly took it. "Yeah…Together…" she said. Before they could even take one step, Mikan suddenly remembered her other friends who were taken by the organization. "Ruka-pyon, where are Hotaru and the others? I think I heard Hibiki-kun a while ago. We have to rescue them too."

"I don't know about Nonoko-chan and Kawashima…" he said, lowering his gaze from her. "But I know where Imai is right now. She's in the prison room."

"Is Hotaru all right?" Mikan asked, tugging his sleeve.

Ruka looked back at her as he heaved a deep sigh. "Imai had received severe punishments. Back at the academy, when she was caught killing some students, she was shocked by Jinno-sensei several times and got beaten up by students." He noticed the quick change expression of Mikan's face. His heart only felt heavier. "And when she got here, she was also tortured by several members of the AAO and I was one of them."

Mikan clamped her mouth with one hand. "How cruel…" She felt her knees getting weaker and she leaned on Ruka for support. "I had no idea Hotaru went through all that."

"I've also hurt Imai," Ruka said. "I've tried to kill her. I can't believe myself."

"But you only did those awful things because of Aya," Mikan reminded him, though she was deeply concerned with Hotaru's situation. "I'm sure Hotaru knows it too. If you want to make it up to Hotaru, let's go and save her now."

"You're right, Sakura," Ruka said, feeling more determined.

* * *

Harada Misaki slouched on the couch in the conference room, just thinking about her boyfriend and her junior. She was worried about the two of them. There wasn't a moment she wouldn't wish for their safety. Why wasn't she assigned to go out and search for the portals? Why did she have to stay behind? Well, she understood the part where she had to stay to protect the academy, but she can't understand the reason why she can't even walk around the academy to patrol. The principals had specifically ordered her to stay in the conference room, together with the Ice Princess of the Dangerous Ability Class, and wait for further instructions. She had been waiting for hours and her patience was running out.

Rising up from her chair, she marched towards the window and looked over at the forest. She was dying for some action. She wondered if Tsubasa and Natsume were facing AAO members as of that moment. Well, she had full confidence in Tsubasa's ability. Plus, the Immunity Bracelet he was given would insure his life.

"Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!"

"Huh?" Misaki immediately turned around, her eyes following the unexpected sound. Her eyes found a mechanical bird inside a cage. It was Sora, the pet bird of Mikan. "That bird has been quiet the whole time and now it's making a racket. What's the matter with it, Ibaragi-san?"

Nobara tilted her head in confusion. "It's strange. Before we left Mikan-chan's hometown, this bird was flying all over the house." She shifted her eyes at Misaki. "I think it was looking for its owner. Mikan-chan did hide it in the closet before going out to face Aya-san.

"I see…" Misaki approached the cage and leaned closer to it. The bird was still making its chirping noises. "And when you told this bird that Mikan was kidnapped, it went berserk and tried to fly away."

"It's a good thing Kage-san managed to catch it," Nobara said, turning her head at the bird again. "Sora probably misses Mikan-chan, just like we do." Her eyes grew soft at the mention of Mikan's name.

The doppelganger girl straightened up and sat down on the table. "The organization is always giving us problems," she said, crossing her legs. "They won't stop until every academy in the world is destroyed. The stupid leader of the AAO is just going to use Mikan as a tool. What a bastard. Every single member of the AAO is a bunch of lowlifes."

Nobara agreed with her, but she didn't say anything bad. She turned to look at the bird and noticed its eyes glowing. Approaching the cage, she leaned down and took a good look at it. Sora wasn't making a fuss anymore, but it was standing still. "Harada-san, the bird's eyes is glowing," she said. "I wonder what's wrong with it."

Misaki walked over to where Nobara was standing. "Okay, this is weird," she stated, cupping her chin with her hand. "Its eyes never glowed before."

"Maybe we should take it out. If it's busted, we should fix it," Nobara suggested.

"I guess you're right," Misaki replied. But when she opened the cage door, Sora immediately went out and flew around the room like a mad bird. "What the hell is the matter with that bird? Has it gone mad?"

Sora flew across the room, under the table and chairs, and to the door. It pecked on the doorknob several times before it flew over to the window. Since the window was closed and bulletproof, it couldn't get out.

"Is it trying to escape?" Nobara asked.

"I think so, but I don't know why," Misaki said, duplicating herself into two. Her clone went after the bird and almost caught it. However, the bird was pretty agile. "Damn… I can't catch it. Ibaragi-san, use your Alice to freeze its movements."

Nobara nodded her head and raised her hand towards the mechanical bird. "I won't hurt you, Sora," she said. "I will only capture you." Activating her Alice, she started forming ice on its wings. Just then, much to her utter surprise, the ice dispersed and Sora flew to the other side of the room.

"What the hell happened?" Misaki gasped, turning to Nobara. "Your Alice didn't work?"

Nobara wasn't sure as well. It seemed like the bird canceled her Alice somehow. She tried using her Alice on the bird again. This time, no ice was formed around the bird. "I don't like this at all," she said. "I can't seem to freeze it."

The clone of Misaki jumped off from a chair to grab the little bird. As soon as the clone touched it, it simply disappeared from sight. Misaki was surprised at this. "How could that be?"

"It seems like the bird has the ability to Nullify Alices," a voice spoke, making the two girls looked at the door. The person was none other than the high school principal. "You said that this bird belongs to my niece, am I right?" he asked.

"Yes, principal," Nobara answered.

"And this bird was created by a former student with the Alice of Technopathy," he continued.

"That's what I've heard from Mikan," Misaki told him.

The principal briefly glanced up at the bird before he took a seat. "Shirasaki Yuki's inventions were always impressive," he said. "This mechanical bird is no exception. He made it with his Alice and added the power of Nullification."

"Nullification… So, Sora has the same power as Mikan-chan," Nobara said.

With a sigh, Misaki placed a hand on her waist. "The same power as Mikan, huh?" She shrugged. "No wonder our Alices didn't work against it."

"Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!" Sora was at it again. It was flying wildly all over the room. It even tackled the window several times. Something was definitely wrong with it.

Misaki raised a brow as she crossed her arms. "That bird has gone loco," she said. "It's trying to escape for no apparent reason."

The principal observed the bird for a while and came up with a conclusion for its odd behavior. "This bird is looking for its owner," he said. "It can probably lead us to Mikan." There was a new glint of hope in his serious and sharp eyes.

Nobara's lips curved into a small smile. "That's it… It's acting this way because it wants to look for Mikan-chan." She clasped her hands together against her chest. "We can find Mikan-chan with Sora's help."

"And I thought it's busted." Misaki sighed with relief. "Well, we're not sure if this bird can lead us to Mikan, but it's worth a shot. What are we going to do now, principal?"

The man rose up from his seat. "Harada Misaki, Ibaragi Nobara, I have a special mission you," he said in a firm voice. "It will be highly dangerous. Are you prepared for it?"

The two girls looked at each first before looking back at the principal. Nobara had an awkward smile on her face, while Misaki had a confident one. At the same time, both of them answered, "Yes, sir!"

* * *

"Nonoko, why don't you eat something?" Kawashima Kyo said worriedly, placing a hand on the chemist girl's shoulder. They have been imprisoned when they were brought to the Anti-Alice Organization's headquarters. They were released from Aya's manipulation, because the girl had no plans on using them yet. They were told to be on stand-by. Kyo had tried to search for a way to escape, but his efforts were in vain. To make things worse, his Alice was useless inside the prison cell. But he was a bit relieved because Nonoko was with him—even though she was the one who brought him to the AAO. However, he found out that Nonoko was only under Aya's control.

The chemist shrugged but her shoulders wobbled so much that the movement only highlighted her fear. "I'm not hungry, Kyo," she said. "I'm still feeling guilty. Because of me, you—"

Kyo placed a finger on her lips to stop her from continuing. "Nonoko, I told you this isn't your fault," he said. "Why don't you lighten up and give me a smile?" But of course Kyo knew it would be difficult to smile in their present situation.

Nonoko shook her head dismally. "Kyo, I want to get out of here. I want to go back to Alice Academy." She buried her face in her palms as she started sprouting tears. "I want to see Anna-chan and my friends again." She was aware of Anna's condition and felt accountable for it. After all, she was the one of the people who helped Aya with her plans.

There had to be some way to defuse the situation, Kyo thought, wondering if he could cheer Nonoko up—even for a little while. He tilted her chin, making her look into his heterochromatic eyes. He stared at her long and hard. He then smiled tenderly and put his arms around her.

"K-Kyo…" Nonoko's heart leaped into her throat. She didn't expect to be hugged by him. "I…I…" She couldn't find the words to express herself. She was happy that Kyo hugged her. Her heart was beating like a loud drum and her cheeks were so red.

"We'll get through this, Nonoko," he said in a gentle voice as he rubbed her back. "No matter what happens, I'll always be here for you. That's a promise." He didn't want Nonoko to worry anymore. He wanted her to smile again. It just pained him to see a frown on her face. Although he wasn't sure of his own feelings for her, he desired to be by her side all the time.

Finally, Nonoko was able to smile. With her cheeks still flushed, she slowly pushed away to face him. "Kyo… Thank you…" she said. The tears were still visible in her eyes. "I'm glad you're here with me, Kyo."

"You're very welcome, Nonoko," Kyo said, wiping away the tears with his finger. "Keep up the smile. You look better with it." He winked an eye at her, making her blush more.

Suddenly the door opened and in came a familiar dark-haired person with hazel eyes. "Hey, Ogasawara, you're needed," he said in a grumpy voice, and Kyo shot him a glare immediately. "What's with that look? Aren't you happy to see your best friend?"

Kyo went in front of Nonoko to protect her. "What is the AAO planning this time, Ryou?" His eyes were perilous. "Are they going to force her to make drugs or poison? Well, I'm not going to let them. If you want to take her, you have to go through me first."

Hibiki Ryou heaved a sigh as he casually raked his hair. "Don't make this hard for me, Kyo," he said. "Hand her over to me now."

"Ryou, snap out of it! I know you're only under control!"

"I'm quite aware of that and I don't mind. Besides, being an AAO member is kinda fun. I'm sure you'll enjoy it as well, Kyo."

"The organization will only treat students like us as tools."

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing."

"It is, you moron!"

Ryou rolled his eyes away. "Whatever… Oh, by the way, your sister will be joining us soon." His lips curved into a sinister smirk. "Aya-san is on her way to pick her up now."

Kyo's eyes narrowed in fury. "I'm not surprised. This organization wants my sister because of her Alice of Materialization. But my sister is not going to go down without a fight. I know this Aya is powerful, but my sister is also strong." He always had been confident of Asuka's abilities. She was no damsel-in-distress. "With the chaos going on, I'm sure Alice Academy had heightened their defenses. It won't be easy getting in now."

Ryou glared hard at him and then laughed. He laughed as if Kyo had just told him the most amusing story he had heard in years. He sobered after a little while. "Didn't you know that your sister is within AAO territory at this very moment?" he sarcastically said. "She probably got here through one of the open portals"

"What?!" Kyo's heterochromatic eyes flashed with a combination of fear and concern. His sister was in danger. "Ryou, you care for my sister too! Go and stop Aya!" He was almost close to begging, but his pride allowed him to control himself.

"I'm not the Ryou you knew anymore…" He walked up to Kyo and punched him in the stomach. When Kyo crouched down, he attempted to kick him. But Nonoko stepped up and slapped him, catching his cheek with the full flatness of her hand. "You bitch…" he grumbled. He caught her wrist and narrowed his gaze.

She gasped in horror. She knew he could hurt her. "Please don't…" She prayed for mercy, but kept her eyes defiantly wide open.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Kyo shoved Ryou away as if he was a snake. "You deserved that slap more than anything, you big idiot!"

Ryou could feel rage radiating from his best friend, and without a meaning to, he feared him. "Kyo, you'll only get killed if you don't follow the AAO," he said in a controlled voice. "Don't be stubborn and hand her over."

"Over my dead body," Kyo firmly said, holding onto Nonoko's hand. "I won't let the AAO use Nonoko again."

"KYO!" Ryou slammed his fist against the wall. "I may be under Aya's control, but I'm still your friend. I don't want you to get killed!"

The genius boy slumped his shoulders and shook his head. "I'd rather get killed than put Nonoko's life at risk," he said. "Ryou, we can't let the organization do whatever they want. We can't let them treat us like tools. Why don't we all go back to Alice Academy?"

For one blinding instant, Ryou's eyes returned to its original state. His chest ached with just the smallest amount of pain, but then, just as he looked up at Kyo, he backed off to stare at him with undisguised disgust. "That school is my enemy. I will never go back to that place!" He spun around his heels and walked towards the door. "And because you're being stubborn, I'll make sure you'll be punished." With that, he left the cell and locked it.

Exhausted and defeated, Kyo sat down on the bed and rubbed his temple. "Ryou…" he muttered through gritted teeth. "If only I can bring him back somehow…"

Nonoko sat down beside him. "Kyo… You were really brave…" she said, fiddling with her fingers on her lap. "Thank you for defending me. I don't know what I'll do if you weren't here."

He looked at her and smiled. "I'll do anything to keep you from harm's way," he said.

"Thanks…" She was real happy to hear that. But she grimaced as she thought about Ryou. "I'm sorry about Hibiki-kun though…"

"I never knew Ryou could be such an annoying enemy," Kyo said with an exasperated sigh. "But I'm not worried about him right now. I'm more worried about my sister. She's within AAO territory."

"Do you think she'll be captured?"

Kyo certainly hoped not. He didn't doubt her abilities, but her chances of getting captured were extremely high. "I'm only sure of one thing," he said. "The AAO won't kill her." And that was because of her Alice.

* * *

"Andou, I'm going to burn you," Natsume said in a deep and cold voice, which sent shivers down to Tsubasa's spine. He was currently wearing a cleaning lady's uniform and it was apparent that he disliked it to the core. He could have chosen not to wear it, but it was essential for their mission. But it doesn't stop him from intimidating the shadow manipulator with his fire.

Tsubasa, on the other hand, was wearing a mechanic's uniform, so he didn't feel awkward at all. "Don't blame me for your outfit, Natsume," he said with a wide smirk. He was obviously amused with Natsume's outfit. "Rui was the one who gave me that. Besides, I think being a cleaning lady suits you." He loved teasing the flame-caster so much.

Natsume's vein popped up. He was seriously going to murder the guy. "Shut up and die," he grimly said, hauling a fire ball at him.

"Hey!!" Tsubasa ducked his head to avoid it in time. Quickly, he noticed the plant behind him on fire and grabbed a pail of water. He splashed the water onto the plant to extinguish the fire. "You idiot! Don't go throwing dangerous stuff like that!"

"I'll make sure to hit you next time," Natsume said, conjuring a flame in his hand.

Tsubasa sighed in frustration as he scratched the back of his head. "Stop using your Alice, moron," he told Natsume. "We have better things to do. We've already checked the vacant rooms, the kitchen, and the office rooms, and there were no signs of the portal. I think the portal must be inside the occupied rooms. But we can't just sneak in or else we'll be branded as thieves. That's why our disguises are necessary."

"But it's not necessary for me to dress up like a girl," Natsume said, looking very irritated. He noticed Tsubasa grinning mischievously at him. He grabbed him by the collar and pulled him closer. "If you say one more word about this outfit, I'll make sure you'll get a fat lip." He then shoved the senior and walked away.

"Man, he can't take a joke," Tsubasa said. "He's too serious." As he was about to walk, he heard running footsteps coming from behind him. Peering over his shoulders, he gasped when he saw his red-haired girlfriend.

"Hey there!" Misaki greeted the guy casually as she came to a full stop in front of him. "Any news about the portal here?"

It took Tsubasa about ten seconds to realize that Misaki was real. "What the hell are you doing here?!" he exclaimed, pointing a finger at her. "Aren't you supposed to be back at the academy?"

Misaki didn't like the tone of his voice. "You sound like you're not happy to see me at all!" She whacked him on the head. "It was a mistake to come here!" She spun around and began walking away. She wasn't exactly mad at Tsubasa. She was just pretending.

"Wait a sec," he said, grabbing her upper arm. "Look, I'm sorry. I was only surprised to see you. I didn't expect you to come here."

"Neither did I…" Misaki muttered. She turned around and gave him a smile. "The principal sent me and Ibaragi-san here to help you and Natsume-kun."

"Why? Natsume and I can handle things here on our own. He didn't need to send you here. Plus, it's dangerous for you."

Misaki's eyebrows twitched in annoyance. "Tsubasa, don't confuse me with a common girl," she said. "I can fight way better than you." She poked his chest hard.

"I know…But still…"

She flicked his temple, making him wince, before she caressed his cheek. "You don't have to be worried about me, Tsubasa," she sincerely said. "Besides, I'm not the type to sit around and wait. I want to save my little junior as much as you do. Let's work hard together, okay?"

Tsubasa held the hand on his cheek and placed a light kiss on it. "Yeah, you're right," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "It's good to have you here, Misaki." He slowly leaned forward to place a kiss on her luscious lips.

But Misaki pinched his nose to stop him. "Save the kiss after we're done with the mission, idiot," she said, and Tsubasa grimaced. Although she wanted to kiss him too, she had to stay focused. "No lovey-dovey stuff from this point on, got that?"

"Come on, Misaki, don't be so uptight," Tsubasa said, wondering if he can persuade her. But when he saw the evil glint in Misaki's eyes, he got nervous and turned his head away. "Okay, fine… Have it your way…" Misaki was the only person he wouldn't want to mess with, unless he didn't value his own life.

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: Will Ruka and Mikan be able to escape? That's the big question here. How about Kyo and Nonoko? And when will Kyo ever realize his feelings for Nonoko? Well, I'm not planning on making things easy for our favorite couples. I like throwing a lot of obstacles at them. I loved the Tsubasa and Misaki part. I also couldn't help writing about Natsume. There will be a lot of action in the next chapter. More of Ruka's obsession too. Please review. NO FLAMING!!


	43. Desire Climax

JC: I don't know how to say this but some of you may be surprised with the events in this chapter. I can't say Kyo and Nonoko will be saved. Ruka and Mikan won't be okay either. Some battle scenes are going to take place here. The boss of the Anti-Alice Organization is going to force Mikan to do something.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession **

Chapter 43: Desire Climax

It was quiet. There was only sound of their footsteps. It made the place seemed haunted. Walking through the dim-lighted hallways, they surveyed the area, making sure no one was following them or in front of them. They just came from the prison cells. They were searching for a friend. Unfortunately, that person could not be found. Anxiety filled their hearts as they walked into another room. They kept their hands entwined, keeping a strong front, not allowing any signs of weakness to come out. Something inside them made them want to escape from the place, but they knew better than to leave their friends behind.

In the Anti-Alice Organization headquarters, most of the area was equipped with security systems. However, there were some blind spots in certain places. The two of them were as stealthy as a cat when they moved from one place to another. There were a few close calls, but they managed to pull through. It was hard not to be afraid. But knowing that they were together made them stronger.

"Where do you think Hotaru could be?" the brunette asked, looking down, as they passed a lab. "Why wasn't she in her cell? Do you think they did something to her?"

Ruka stopped and looked back at her. "I have no idea," he said. Last time he saw Hotaru, she was all beaten up but she wasn't bleeding to death. He was guilty for what he did to her and he made a mental note to apologize to her sincerely when he sees her. "I think they've transferred Imai somewhere. I'm not sure if the leader is going to use her. But don't worry, Sakura. We'll find her."

"How about Nonoko-chan, Hibiki-kun, Kyo-kun, and Narumi-sensei?" Mikan questioned. Her eyes seemed determined as ever.

He shook his head dismally. "Nonoko-chan and Kawashima are in a prison cell heavily guarded by Anti-Alice members," he explained with a sigh. "Hibiki is still under Aya-san's control and Narumi-sensei is in a comatose. I don't think we can escape with them. I have no plans on abandoning them either."

Mikan understood the difficulty of their situation and came up with a big decision. "I don't want to leave them too, but we have no other choice," she said as her lips trembled. "We can go back to the academy now and save them later."

"You're right, Sakura," Ruka said with his lips curving into a smile. Suddenly he saw something in the lower corner of his perspective. Instinctively, he followed the movement, pulling Sakura along with him. He couldn't believe what he saw. It was the leader of the AAO, Mihara.

The evil glint in his eyes and his malicious grin were ominous for the two students. "Nogi Ruka, I see you're not under Aya's manipulation anymore," he said in a deep and smooth voice, which was enough to send shivers down their spine. "I don't know how you broke the spell, but I'm not letting you get away with that girl. Her Alices are quite precious to me. I'm sure you're aware of that."

Ruka hid Mikan behind him and bravely faced the leader. "I won't hand her over to you," he said. He faced him in the past and experienced the torture of his Alice. But he wasn't afraid of him. He swore to himself that he'll protect Mikan from him.

Mihara stood poised as he unleashed a gun. He pointed the weapon at them. "Step away from the girl, Nogi," he said. "I won't hesitate to shoot you."

"If you think that's going to scare me then you're dead wrong," Ruka said.

"Ruka-pyon…" Mikan was worried. She didn't want Ruka to get killed because of her. She wished she could use her Alices to help out. "This man will really kill you," she whispered softly, holding onto the back of his shirt.

Mihara placed pressure on the trigger. "Nogi, I only took you in because of Aya's request," he said, adjusting his glasses casually. "Honestly, I don't have any use for you. Since Aya's not here, I'll dispose of you now like what I did to Imai Hotaru."

Mikan widened her eyes in disbelief. "What did you do to Hotaru?!" she shouted.

"As of this moment, Imai Hotaru is being experimented on," Mihara replied in a cold voice. "The experiment is highly dangerous and I can't guarantee her safety."

She swallowed hard as she maintained her focus on the mad man. "How dare you…" she muttered. "You have no right to do that to Hotaru. Release her now!"

Laughing maniacally, Mihara gradually shook his head. "Sakura Mikan, shouldn't you be worrying about yourself than your freaky little inventor friend?" He took a few steps forward, still pointing the gun at them. "I'm also planning on using you for an experiment. I want you to be cooperative with me."

Mikan bit the lower part of her lip and turned her head away. "What makes you think I'll help you?!" she uttered, clenching her fists.

"You're as stubborn as your mother," Mihara grumbled. His tone of voice was a sign of his impatience. "Here's the deal. If you give me your Alices, I'll let you and your friends go. What do you say to that?"

Ruka narrowed his eyes at the man. "What kind of a stupid deal is that?" By obtaining the Stealing and Nullification Alice, Ruka knew that Mihara would be unstoppable. Plus, the leader had the ability to turn people into stone. "You really are sadistic. With her Alices, you can defeat every Alice Academy in the world."

Hastily, Mihara approached the blonde boy and grabbed him by the collar. "You sure talk brave for a brat," he said. His eyes looked more evil than before. "Why don't I just turn you into stone?"

"Let go of Ruka-pyon!" Mikan shoved the man away and clung onto Ruka's arm.

"How cute…" Mihara said with disgust. "You protect this boy as if he's your lover. I know you're Hyuuga Natsume's girlfriend, but I can arrange that." He was showing his malicious grin again, and the two students took an involuntary step backwards.

* * *

Aya and her subordinates lined up at one end of the room. At the other end, Asuka and Hayate stood next to each other, panting and sweating. They did manage to find a portal in the forest, but it led them to a secured room where they got ambushed by the AAO members present before them. Also, their Immunity Bracelets seemed to have disappeared when they arrived. They fought with the AAO members, but they barely scratched the silver-haired girl.

With the pride of a Dangerous Ability student, Hayate stepped forward. "I was overconfident before," Hayate admitted, "but this time I'll make sure to beat the crap out of you guys." He charged towards them and unleashed two wind blades. They flew at the AAO members with tremendous force.

"What a joke!" Aya formed a strong barrier to protect them from the blades. "There is no way you can win," she bragged. She snapped her fingers, signaling her subordinates to move in for an attack.

The first AAO member had the Water Alice. Forceful blasts of water shot from her hands. Before the blast could do any damage, Asuka jumped in and threw a silver disk. The disk began to spin around like a giant wheel. It spun faster and faster. It tore through the water blast with ease. Then the disk collided with the Water Alice-user, sending her sprawling to the ground.

Asuka sighed in relief before she turned to Hayate with enraged eyes. "Why don't you think before you act, you brainless moron?!" She hit him with her paper fan three times and faced the AAO members again. "I've finally taken out one of them. Why don't you be useful and knock out the other?"

Hayate shrugged. "Don't tell me what to do, bitch," he grumbled. "And stop hitting me with that stupid fan." He straightened up, looking more determined.

"Don't get defeated," Aya told her other subordinate.

"Yes, master," the AAO member said. Like Hayate, he also had the Alice of Air Manipulation.

Asuka sensed the fierce fighting aura coming from Hayate. "Hey, stupid, power won't get you anywhere," she said nonchalantly. "Use you wits and speed to outmatch him, got that?" She felt a little pleased with him for once as the Air manipulator nodded his head in agreement.

Hayate flew into the air and aimed a hurricane attack. The AAO member quickly dodged the attack. With a shrug, Hayate aimed another attack, but the enemy simply dodged it once again. The two Air manipulators seemed to dance in the air. As soon as one would attack, the other would evade it. Higher and higher they flew, until finally they tore through the ceiling and took their battle above the clouds.

Weakened, the two began to descend. Now they were slamming into each other in midair. They collided forcefully one last time and spiraled back down. Hayate landed on the AAO member as they slammed into the floor. This impact was too much for the AAO member. Hayate smiled proudly and jumped back to Asuka's side.

"Hmm…I'm impressed," Asuka crowed. "You're a lot stronger than I thought."

"Finally! I hear a compliment from that bad mouth of yours." Hayate heaved an exasperated sigh.

Aya wasn't pleased with the results of the battle. She went all the trouble to tire them out, so her subordinates would have a chance, but they still got defeated. "The skills of a Dangerous Ability student is not be underestimated," she said. "Kawashima Asuka, you're no amateur yourself. You two would make a great addition to our organization. What do you say about joining us?"

Hayate stuck his tongue out. "No way, bitch!" he exclaimed. "Now give us back Cool Blue Sky!"

Aya raised a brow. "I beg your pardon?" she muttered, crossing her arms. "Who's Cool Blue Sky?"

Asuka lightly slapped her temple. "Don't mind his stupidity," she told Aya. "He was actually referring to Imai Hotaru."

"I see… Cool Blue Sky, huh? What a lame name… Well, I guess that name fits that freaky Imai."

Hayate boiled in anger. He hated it when somebody insulted his beloved Cool Blue Sky. "It's not lame and she's not freaky!" he shouted out. "Why don't you shut up and give her back to me?!"

Asuka had the urge to hit him, but she restrained herself. There were more important things at hand. "Give us Mikan-chan and my brother back too!" she demanded, pointing a finger at Aya.

"No can do," Aya replied, tapping a finger on her cheek, smiling malevolently at them. "Mikan-chan belongs to me and this organization. Besides, she'll be much happier here. The academy is just garbage anyway."

"You're talking nonsense for someone who looks so smart," Asuka said, placing a hand on her waist. "You guys are going to deprive Mikan-chan's freedom! She'll lose her smile if you'll force her to do your leader's bidding."

Aya narrowed her eyes at Asuka. "Oh, don't you worry, because I'm here for Mikan-chan," she said. "She will never lose her smile, because I'll make her happy."

Asuka shrugged. "I extremely doubt it. You've only been giving Mikan-chan a lot of problems ever since you appeared! Do you really think you'll make her happy?!" She pulled out a long spear and charged towards Aya.

"How troublesome…" Aya extended her arm forward and activated one of her Alices. There was a bright flash of light that enveloped the girl in an instant. Her long flowing silver hair fluttered in slow motion. "Good night…" She increased her power and suddenly the whole room was blinded in white light. Everything went blank.

* * *

Natsume, exhausted and defeated, took a blindingly hot shower to ease the pain in his shoulder and to calm himself down. Because of Tsubasa, he had to search for the portal wearing a cleaning lady's uniform, which was so embarrassing for a guy. Some of the customers in the hotel even laughed at him. It was a good thing Nobara came and told him to go back to their room for an important discussion. He couldn't stand another hour dressed like a retarded girl. Nobara was kind of shocked to see him in the uniform, but she didn't laugh at him, much to his utter relief. But he wondered why Nobara was there. He got his answer shortly afterwards.

He stepped out of the bathroom, looking all cleaned, and settled himself on the bed. He ignored Tsubasa, but was aware of his silent chuckling and mental teasing. He could only hope that he had the patience to last until the end of their discussion.

"I still can't believe you made Natsume-kun wear that," Misaki said, crossing her arms and legs, as she noticed the fire in Natsume's eyes. The guy looked like he was ready to kill. "Hey, Tsubasa, I hope you wrote your last will."

Tsubasa gave out a wide smirk. "Nope... And I don't have any intention to do so," he said, scratching the back of his head. Natsume shot him a deadly glare and Tsubasa sweat-dropped. "Okay, putting fire boy aside now… Tell me again, why you girls are here?"

Sora, the mechanical bird, flew over to Natsume and hopped on its lap playfully. "You even brought Mikan's pet," Natsume said, patting its head with his finger. "What's the deal?"

Nobara let out a deep breath. "Although we're not certain, we believe Sora has the ability to locate Mikan-chan," she explained. "We actually followed Sora to this place."

"If that's the case, this little guy will make our job a lot easier," Tsubasa said. "We haven't checked every room of this hotel yet."

Natsume shifted his eyes from the bird to the senior guy. "Then what are we doing wasting our time here talking?" he said, maintaining his composure, though he was really impatient. "The sooner this bird finds the portal, the sooner we can save Mikan." He was so eager to see his girlfriend again.

"Hold it, Natsume-kun," Misaki told him, rising up from the chair. "I don't think we can find any portals at this time."

"And why?" Natsume questioned nonchalantly.

"When Ibaragi-san and I left the academy, the bird was completely hysterical," Misaki said, pointing at Sora. "It was noisy and annoying. But when we got here, it calmed down for some reason. We've called the high school principal and informed him about the bird's behavior."

Nobara continued for the doppelganger. "He theorized that the portal in this hotel may not be active yet," she said. "It's a bit complicated to understand."

Tsubasa cupped his chin with his hand and thought hard. "So, you're saying that this bird will only go crazy when the portal's active?" he asked, and Nobara nodded her head in reply. "Okay…I guess we can only wait here."

Natsume didn't like waiting. He wanted to find the portal already. Nevertheless, he understood the present problem at hand and didn't make any fuss about it. He stood up, gave the bird to Nobara, and headed towards the door. His companions asked him where he was going and he simply told them that he needed to be alone for a while. Without another word, he stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

He went to the rooftop and sat down on the ledge. He wasn't afraid of heights, since he was used to jumping from building to building. As he looked down at the busy streets below, he let out a deep sigh and thought about Mikan. Though his future mother-in-law told him not to blame himself, he still felt a little guilty and disappointed in his abilities. Sad to say, his strength wasn't enough compared to Aya's. The silver-haired girl was such a nuisance, a thorn, and an irksome existence. Thinking about her made him fired up.

* * *

Mikan opened her eyes slowly and looked around. She was in a room, no, an office. The blinds were drawn. Mihara was standing by his desk, holding a gun in his hand. She was on a chair. Her hands and feet were tied to the chair with soft cotton rope. And three buttons of her shirt was unbuttoned, which showed a good amount of cleavage. Judging from her embarrassing predicament, she reasoned that her struggling earlier caused the buttons to snap. Great horror dawned when she set her eyes on the monitor on the desk. Her best friend was all tied up in chains and there was a gag in her mouth. She was covered in cuts and bruises and she wasn't moving. Mikan wanted to cry because of this.

"Imai Hotaru is still alive," Mihara said, placing the gun on his desk. "She's going to help me convince you to cooperate, little girl. He ran a fingertip down her bare legs, grinning as she writhed and jerked her head from side to side.

"You… You let go of Hotaru!" she yelled, almost pleading, as she stared at him seriously.

He chuckled. "Relax…" He moved away from her, going to his desk. He pulled out something from his drawer. It was a syringe. As he prepared the needle and the drug, he explained his plans to her. "I've planted bombs inside the rooms where your friends are. I can easily set them off with one snap of my finger. The bombs will not cause any damage to the rooms, but I assure you that they will reduce your friends into ashes." He pressed a button on his keyboard and split the monitor screen into two. The other one showed the image of Kyo and Nonoko.

"NO!" Mikan pulled frantically at her bonds. But it was no use. The knots he had tied were expert. She was completely at his mercy. "Please don't hurt my friends. Please…You only want me, right?" She lowered her gaze on the floor and began crying.

Mihara finished inserting the drug inside the syringe. Smirking, he went back to her side. "Then give me your Alices," he said, and Mikan's eyes widened in surprise. "You can't refuse or else your friends will suffer the consequences."

Mikan briefly considered yelling at the man, and then realized how absurd it would be. Mihara was someone she shouldn't mess with. "I'll do it…" she muttered in a low voice. "I'll give you my Alices." It pained her to say that, but she has no choice. Her friends' lives were at stake.

"That's a good girl." He removed the control device from her wrist and threw it aside, and untied the ropes. "Now then… Transfer your Alices to me," he ordered her.

Hesitantly, she reached out for his hand and closed her eyes to concentrate. As she activated her Stealing Alice, she started thinking about her mother, her friends, the school, and her boyfriend. She knew she was just making things worse by giving him her Alices. But luck wasn't on her side. She couldn't take it anymore. And as she opened her eyes, she looked up at the leader and said, "My Alices are now yours…" She turned her head away as tears kept falling out. She never felt so miserable in her life.

"True. I can feel it inside my body. The power of Nullification and Stealing are now mine. No one, not even Aya, can stop me."

"You got what you want…" Mikan said. "Now give me what I want. Please release my friends." She became more afraid of him when she saw the wicked gleam on his face.

"I'm not done with you yet, Sakura Mikan," he said. "If you must know, I'm still sore about what your mother did to me in the past. I can never forgive her. As her daughter, you must pay the price for her foolishness." Mihara ran his hands over her scantily clad form, along the curve of her breasts, down her sides to the soft skin of her thighs. Then he dipped his head to nibble on her neck.

Mikan thrashed desperately. "Please stop!" she screamed. "No! I don't want this! Natsume, help! Natsume!"

He clucked his tongue sorrowfully. "He won't be able to hear you no matter how much you scream his name." He raised the syringe towards her. "I'll make sure to break you little by little. Before I begin, let me ask you… Do you know what aphrodisiac means? You see, this drug has an aphrodisiac agent—a rather strong one. This was made by an Alice."

Swallowing hard, Mikan shook her head rapidly. She knew what aphrodisiac was. Hotaru once mentioned it to her during science class before. "A-Are you…going…to…r-rape me?" she asked, trembling.

"As much as I want to torture you, I won't do such a thing to you," Mihara said, touching the upper part of her arm. "You'll be doing it with another guy." Before she could protest, he injected the drug into her. He didn't leave a single drop.

The drug took effect at once. It was causing her to be dizzy. Her eyesight was becoming blurry every second. She felt like throwing up. Then she felt so hot all of a sudden. Her insides were screaming and yearning for something. Her breathing became heavy and her cheeks turned red. She began to feel restless. Using a teleportation device, Mihara simply teleported the young girl back to her quarters. There, Mikan immediately removed her clothes and lay down on the bed. She hugged a pillow and buried her face in it.

Just then, Ruka came into the room. His eyes were lifeless again, meaning he was under someone's control. He moved towards the side of her bed and looked down at her naked form. He sat down and brushed his hand through her silky brown hair. She was pleased with his touch and as she looked up at him, he asked her if she was all right. She didn't respond but kept on staring at him. Ruka was beginning to feel uneasy.

"Sakura, what did the leader do to you?" he questioned.

Her gaze slipped down from his blue eyes to his soft supple lips. She had to admit that he had a very kissable mouth. Out of nowhere, she wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around his head and pull those lips down to hers. She wanted that mouth to devour her.

"I'm sorry for getting you into trouble," Ruka said. "We shouldn't have tried to escape. Aya-san was really disappointed in me, but she said that she'll forgive me if I comfort you."

Breathless and uneasy, Mikan sat up on the bed and gave him a seductive look. "Then comfort me now, Ruka-pyon…" She grabbed his arm and yanked him towards her. "Take me please…" She snaked her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately on the lips. She released him after a few seconds and pressed herself more against him.

Ruka froze like a statue, unable to believe what happened, but then he snapped back. He wanted her then, and he didn't care what the consequences were. His kiss was hard and urgent—with only a moment's tenderness. He'd take what he wanted from her. With a bruising press of his lips against hers, he possessed her totally, pulling at her lower lip and exploring her mouth with his tongue. He wanted everything that kisses could be—and more. He would satisfy himself completely.

_To be continued…_

* * *

JC: I won't go further with the whole sex thing, okay? Writing lemon scenes is not my thing. I'm really sorry if Ruka and Mikan did it here. This story is all about obsessions and romance, so expect a lot more. Plus, what Ruka and Mikan did will greatly affect Natsume's action in the next chapter. There will be a heart-wrenching moment between Natsume and Mikan. They will not yet reunite, but they will see each other by other means. Please review. No flaming.


	44. Mirror and Love

JC: Ahem…So, Mikan and Ruka did it, and I'm about to nag myself to death for not being able to come up with anything recently lately. I'm not inspired like I used to. I'm experiencing writer's block and school has been getting to me. I'm sorry if the story turns out wrong. I know I'll be able to get my motivation back. I can't guarantee this chapter being any good and all. But I tried. Okay, let's begin.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 44: Mirror and Love

The genius flame-caster was walking back towards his hotel room when he felt a sharp stinging pain in his heart. It was not caused by his Alice or any sickness at all. It was caused by something else—something he couldn't explain. At this point, Mikan came into his mind. He wondered if something bad has happened to her to make him feel perturbed. He knew that the organization will not kill Mikan because they needed her, so her life was assured. And Aya was so fond of Mikan that she'll keep her from harm's way. He took a deep breath and willed himself to calm. He had to stay focused if he wanted to save Mikan. He wasn't going to get sidetracked by his emotions.

He headed for his room. But before he could reach for the doorknob, Tsubasa opened the door and ran out. Natsume's face suddenly got hit with a telephone. The one who threw it was none other than Misaki. As the phone dropped to the floor, there was a big red mark on his face. Naturally, it hurt a lot. Since Natsume was always the type to be cool and collected, he pretended it didn't hurt but he looked vastly irritated.

Misaki, the one responsible, didn't look the least bit sorry for what she did. Just like Natsume, she was irritated as well. Crossing her arms over her chest, she approached Natsume. She was emitting a fiery aura, and a certain guy standing a few distance away from them shivered in fear. The tension was brewing as she stood there in silence. She and Natsume were most likely having a staring contest. Most people would fear Natsume's blood-shot eyes, but Misaki wasn't most people. She was like an active volcano.

Unexpectedly, Natsume first broke the silence between them. "Aren't you going to apologize for throwing that phone at me?" he questioned nonchalantly.

With a shrug, the red-head shook her head and pointed a finger at him. "It wasn't my fault you got in the way," she said in a firm voice. "Besides, I wasn't aiming at you. I was aiming at that moron over there." She turned to Tsubasa, who was hiding behind a plant.

Natsume shot a dagger glare at him, emitting a dangerous aura at the same time. "Let me guess… That moron did something stupid again and you were trying to hit him." He saw Misaki nodding her head and sighed. "All right… Let me have the pleasure of skinning him alive."

Tsubasa paled white as he chuckled nervously. "Oh, come on, Misaki…" he said, swallowing hard. "Can't you take a joke? You know I was only kidding about having 12 children with you or letting you be a housewife."

The doppelganger's eyes burned in anger. "You should stop making those kinds of jokes, idiot!" With blinding speed, she charged towards him and kicked him so hard, sending him flying to the end of the hallway. "Geez, why can't you be serious for once, huh? You're annoying as usual." Yes, her boyfriend was annoying and was always carefree, but those were the things she liked about him.

A bead of sweat trailed down Natsume's cheek. Once again Misaki was able to impress him with such brutal female strength. He was lucky that his girlfriend was sweet by nature. He won't have to handle her fists like Tsubasa. He wanted to pity Tsubasa but decided not to. He was about to step into the room and leave the couple to settle things out when Sora came flying out in a rush. Nobara followed after it.

"I think the portal's open," Nobara said. "We have to hurry or we'll lose sight of Sora."

Tsubasa managed to recover from Misaki's attack and moved towards her side right away. "Okay, let's go!" he said cheerfully as he placed an arm over her shoulders. Because of that, he received an uppercut from Misaki, sending him towards the ceiling. Everyone then ran off, leaving him behind. "Ouch… Hey! Wait up!" He stood up and began running.

The bird led them to the janitor's closet and it was urging them to open the door. They all found it strange for a portal to be hidden inside a closet, but they didn't make a fuss. Tsubasa took the liberty of opening it. Truly there was a portal, and the smile on their faces couldn't be measured. Well, Natsume wasn't smiling, but he was relieved to finally found the portal that would take him to Mikan.

Misaki pulled out her cell phone and called the high school principal. She informed the principal about the portal and asked him about what they were going to do next. For five minutes, she listened to the orders. When the call ended, she put away her cell phone and faced the group seriously. "Kawashima-san and Matsudaichi-kun had an intense battle with some AAO members. They were lucky enough to escape. The principal told me that there might be AAO goons waiting for us after going through this portal. We have to be extra careful and expect the unexpected, got it? We can't afford to make mistakes." She spoke like a true leader.

"I will do anything to get my precious junior back," Tsubasa said, placing a hand on Misaki's shoulder. He was aware of getting hit again, but he didn't care. "Plus, you can take those goons easily."

"I'm counting on you to watch my back as well, Tsubasa," Misaki said, smiling confidently at him.

Nobara clamped her mouth with a clenched hand and took a deep breath. "Although I'm a bit afraid, I'm willing to fight the AAO and save Mikan-chan," she said timidly.

Natsume shrugged. "Stop this nonsense talking and get a move on," he said icily. He looked at the portal first and went in without hesitation.

* * *

A few hours had passed. Regaining her senses again, Mikan sat up on the bed with a splitting headache. Not only was her head in pain but her body as well. She thought she could feel loose in her head as she rubbed her temple. She noticed she was wearing nothing underneath the sheets. Before she could wonder why, she recalled something disturbing in her head—something she didn't want to happen. She hugged herself as she started to tremble. She shook her head rapidly, trying to get rid of the upsetting images in her head. But she couldn't. The memory was still fresh—the memory of Ruka forcing himself inside her.

The bathroom door creaked open. Ruka came out fully dressed in his middle school uniform. A malicious grin appeared on his face as he set his lifeless eyes on Mikan. He walked to the bed and leaned down towards her. He stared into her eyes for a long moment and then he kissed her on the temple. "Thank you for giving me a wonderful time, Sakura," he said, and then turned and walked to the door. "It was the best." He went out of the room, making sure to lock the door behind him. He was long gone before she caught her breath and began sobbing. Because of the aphrodisiac, she was able to do such a thing with Ruka.

And as she walked slowly into the bathroom, covered with the sheets, her hair disheveled, her head pounding, her body covered with love bites, she knew she truly couldn't blame Ruka for what he did. He was under control again. What happened between them was inevitable. She opened the shower and fell on her knees. She soaked herself there as tears kept streaming down her face. "Natsume…" she muttered. She felt tormented. She wondered if she could still face him after what has happened. "I'm sorry…" Although no one's to blame, she felt like she betrayed Natsume.

She managed to stand up again. Emotionally she was still weak. The marks were still present on her body. She could still feel Ruka's warmth within her. She told herself to stay strong, but the tears kept coming out. She walked back to the room, clutching the only thing covering her body tightly. She was thinking about a lot of things at this point, especially about her friends who were in danger.

"Did you enjoy yourself, Sakura Mikan?" Mihara smiled at her evilly, with a look of cruel amusement. "I'm sure Nogi Ruka was more than enough to fulfill your thirst for lust." She wore no expression as she turned her head away. She had nothing to say to him. She knew at that moment that he had control over her. One small mistake could be the end for her friends.

Mihara conjured a small energy sphere in his palm to show Mikan his new power. "I stole this from one of my agents," he said, making the sphere disappear from sight. "Because of your Stealing-Alice, I'm able to contain so many Alices inside me. You have my thanks for that, little girl."

She gritted her teeth, looking serious, and yet there was some fear in her eyes. "Are you going to kill me now?" she asked. "There's no reason for you to keep me alive any longer since you have my Alices."

"I have no intention of getting rid of you yet," he said with a grin that most people hated. "I still need you for my revenge against your mother, Azumi Yuka."

"Don't you dare!" she exclaimed, meeting his eyes squarely, and he could see her hands trembling. It was as though he was a monster in her eyes. "I'd rather die than let you use me to get Okaa-san." In the past, her mother betrayed Mihara in order to save her, so she knew how much hatred he has inside of him.

Mihara turned around and reached for the doorknob. "We'll see about that," he said in a cold voice, sending shivers down her spine. "I will let Azumi Yuka experience hell. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go steal the Copy Alice."

Mikan gasped. "C-Copy Alice…?"

"That's right…" Mihara peered over his shoulder to look at her with such malevolent eyes. "I will steal the Copy Alice, which belongs to none other than Aya."

"What?! Why her? I thought she's your best agent."

"She is the best. But now that I have the power to rule over anything, I don't need her services anymore." Mikan was startled about that. She didn't think the leader would be crazy enough to betray Aya, one of the strongest Alice-users she had ever seen. "After Aya, I'm targeting your beloved uncle next. The Alice of Longevity will be mine." Without saying anything further, he went out of the room. Mikan was left to ponder and worry about the upcoming danger.

* * *

"This place doesn't look like their headquarters," Misaki commented, as Sora perched on her shoulder.

"But it's pretty creepy here," Tsubasa said.

Standing over the stone bridge, Natsume surveyed the solemn cave on an island in the middle of the lake. It was too quiet. He found it suspicious. He had a feeling there were traps around the area. He noticed Tsubasa looking around, taking in the area. Looking down, Natsume noticed there were no shadows on the ground. He figured that the area was created by someone with an Alice than can manipulate areas. But he wondered if the AAO knew they were there. Not only that, he also noticed that their Immunity Bracelets have disappeared.

The group walked toward the cave. The cave felt ominous silhouetted against the light of the sun. It created a gloomy atmosphere.

"What a dark place…" Nobara muttered.

Natsume sighed and lit up a fire in his palm. He received a grateful yet timid smile from Nobara, and he just shrugged and continued forward. As soon as they stepped into the cave, several bats came rushing out. He heard Nobara letting out a small shriek and noticed Tsubasa shielding Misaki from the bats.

The group ventured into the cave, with Natsume leading them. As they continued further, they noticed that the place was getting lighter and lighter. It seemed like there was a light source coming from somewhere. Keeping their guards up, they looked around carefully for any booby traps or Anti-Alice members.

"It doesn't seem like anyone's here," Tsubasa said, scratching the back of his head, as he looked at Misaki. "Do you think this is the right place? That portal could've led us anywhere."

"That's why we're taking a big risk here," Misaki replied.

They were now in the center of the cave and it was nothing like they could have imagined. The place was well-lighted and it was surrounded by crystals that acted like mirrors. They were more or less impressed with the place. It was beautiful and mysterious at the same time. Since they've been walking for an hour and a half, they decided to take a break. The place seemed safe enough, but they were still on high alert. Anything could happen at any time. Knowing the AAO, they loved doing surprise attacks.

Natsume sat down, bending one leg to rest his arm on it, and leaned back on a large crystal. He wasn't keen on taking a break, but he knew better than to rush things. Sora flew over and landed on his head. He didn't mind the bird's company. At least the bird was a lot quieter than Tsubasa and Misaki, who started arguing again in one corner. The couple sure knew when to pick a time to bicker. They acted like husband and wife already. Seeing the couple so close together made him more eager to save Mikan. He wished to hold her again in his arms.

Sora started bouncing up and down on his head. It was all right at first, but when Sora started pecking him, Natsume got annoyed. In an attempt to grab the bird, Sora dodged his hand swiftly and went to peck his forehead. Natsume controlled his urge to burn the bird into crisp, knowing how dear it was to his girlfriend. The bird flew behind his head and pecked him again. Gritting his teeth, he turned his head and came face to face with his own reflection in the crystal. The bird had already flown away. He was about to stand up when he noticed his reflection disappearing from the crystal.

Weird, he thought as he placed his hand on the crystal. Why would his reflection disappear? Before he could think of any answers, the crystal suddenly showed him an image of a room. In addition to that, there was a familiar girl crying beside the bed. "Mi…Mikan…" he muttered softly. "Mikan!"

Tsubasa, Misaki, and Nobara shifted their attention on the flame-caster. They thought strangely of him the moment he started banging his fists against the crystal and yelling Mikan's name. Wondering what Natsume's problem was, they all approached him.

"Hey, is something the ma—" Tsubasa wasn't able to ask anymore when he saw his junior in the crystal. "Mikan? That's Mikan, right? Please tell me that's not an illusion." He rubbed his eyes to make sure.

Misaki grimaced as she saw the tears streaming down Mikan's face. "Definitely Mikan…" she muttered. "Why is she crying? And why isn't she wearing anything?" The young brunette was only clad in bed sheets. Misaki had a bad feeling about it.

"Mikan-chan must be in pain right now," Nobara said, looking very nervous and worried.

"Mikan!" Natsume exclaimed, hitting the crystal harder than before. He didn't know whether the image shown was real or not. He didn't care if he was shouting out her name for nothing. Deep inside his heart, he knew that Mikan was really crying. He knew she was in a lot of pain. He wanted to see her. He couldn't stand waiting any longer. "Mikan! Mikan!" He wished she could hear his voice.

"Natsume…?" Mikan spoke, raising her head. "Just now… I think I heard him calling out my name…"

Natsume widened his eyes. Did his voice reach her? It seemed like it. "Mikan, I'm here!" he uttered. He didn't care if he was showing some emotions. All he cared about was Mikan at the moment. "Can you hear me?"

Mikan started looking around the room. "I can hear him… I can really hear him… Where is it coming from?" She slowly stood up, careful not to let the sheets fall. And when she heard the voice again, she turned to the direction where it was coming from and saw a full-length mirror. Finally, she was able to see him in that mirror. There was no doubt about it. Crimson red eyes and unruly raven hair—it was definitely Natsume. "Natsume!" She ran towards the mirror and dropped on her knees. Her hands trembled as she touched the mirror. She was afraid his image might disappear.

He positioned his hands against Mikan's and gave her a warm smile. "Mikan…" His voice was soft and silky. There was a sheer amount of happiness in his heart. But his heart almost broke when Mikan started crying again. "What's the matter?"

"You're real, right? Tell me this isn't an illusion…"

"It's no magic trick. It's really me."

Mikan's lips curved into a tender smile. "I'm glad… I'm so glad that I'm able to see you again," she said between her sobs. "But how—"

"I have no idea as well," he replied nonchalantly. "Don't try to ask."

"Are you coming to get me?" she asked.

"What kind of question is that?" Natsume said, sounding a little cold. "I will definitely get you out of there."

Mikan heaved a deep sigh as she lowered her head. "Natsume, I'm sorry…" she muttered under her breath. "I couldn't stop the AAO leader from taking my Alices. I feel so useless. I'm so sorry…" She began to tremble miserably.

"Stop talking nonsense," Natsume retorted. "You're not useless."

The brunette looked up at him again. She looked like she was about to break any second. "Natsume, you have the right to know about…" She swallowed hard. She was hesitating to tell him about what happened between Ruka and her. She knew that the news would shock Natsume so much. "Ruka-pyon and I…we… we…" She couldn't say it. More tears only spilled from her eyes. It was harder than she thought.

If it was possible, Natsume would've held her in his arms. "Stop crying… Just wait a little longer. I'll come and save you and Ruka. That's a promise." Although he wondered what she was trying to say about Ruka and her, he figured that the AAO may have used his best friend to force Mikan to give up her Alices. Of course, that was only a possibility.

"Natsume…" She felt guilty for not being able to say it. The memory of doing it with Ruka was still fresh in her mind. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry… But I want you to know that I love you. I love you…" She leaned her temple against the mirror and shed more tears.

"I love you too," Natsume replied, making her look at him in surprise. He can't blame her for that. He rarely says those three special words. He would rather show his feelings through actions. At this point, words counted more than anything else. "You're the most important to me, Mikan." Natsume treasured her well with his eyes.

Mikan treasured him as well. "Natsume…" she muttered his name with such importance.

Gazing at each other's eyes, they felt like they were in their own world. They leaned their faces closer and closer, closing their eyes, until their lips have finally met. The mirror between them, separating them, seemed nothing. They could feel each other's warmth and love. In their hearts, they were together.

"Mikan-sama?" a familiar voice came from behind the brunette. Turning her head around, she saw Hibiki Ryou. He approached her slowly and then he noticed Natsume in the mirror. "Hyuuga?! Wait a sec… Are you actually talking to Hyuuga right now? I can't believe this!" Activating his Alice, he lifted the floor lamp and crashed it against the mirror. He was careful enough not to hurt Mikan in the process. He had good control over his Alice of Magnetism.

One moment her mind was blank. The next, a working idea came to her, though she was chagrined at having to use force against Ryou, who was a good friend of hers. The more she thought about it, the more the notion appealed to her, until she finally embraced the negatives. Ryou wouldn't be easy to beat. Though she never approved of violence, these were desperate times. That settled, Mikan stood up and used closed the door using Telekinesis. And when Ryou started asking her why she still has an Alice, she simply pinned him against the wall with a mere gesture of her hand. "I'm sorry for doing this, Hibiki-kun, but you'll thank me later," she said.

"How is this possible? I thought you gave up your Alices to the boss."

"It's true that I gave my Nullification and Stealing Alices to that man," she explained, moving towards him in a casual pace. "But I didn't give him the Alices I stole from Aya." She wasn't able to use it earlier on Mihara because she was being cautious. If that man knew about the Telekinesis and Barrier Alices inside her, then her friends would surely die.

Ryou smirked. "Impressive… You really are something, Mikan-sama." As amazed as he sounded, Ryou laughed out maniacally. "What are you planning to do now? You won't be able to break Aya's control without the Nullification Alice."

Looking straight into his hazel eyes, she sighed. "I forgot to mention this to you, Hibiki-kun. When I said I gave my Alices to that man, I didn't mean all. To put it simply, I still have some Nullifying power inside me." Her lips curved into a lovely smile. "And this power is more than enough to return you back to your normal self." With that said, she clasped Ryou's hand firmly and activated her Nullification Alice.

* * *

"Leader, it seems like there are intruders in the Cave of Wishes," Reo said as soon as he stepped into the office. "They're four in total and one of them is the Black Cat, Hyuuga Natsume. I've already sent Aya to take care of them."

"It seems like the portal we set up around Japan has placed us in a disadvantage," Mihara said, cupping his chin with one hand, as he leaned back on his chair. "No mater… The academy is no threat to me anymore."

A sense of doom guiding his body, he brushed his hand through his auburn hair to calm himself down. He was beginning to have a bad feeling about the AAO leader. He hoped it was just a feeling. "Leader, are you planning on stealing Narumi's Alice as well? I know you've kept him alive for a reason." His senior was still in a coma. Truth to be known, he was seriously getting worried about him, even though he tried to deny it.

Mihara rose up from his chair and gave Reo a wicked smile. "Human Pheromones can be quite useful…" He walked towards Reo, without taking his eyes off of the singer, and stood in front of him. There was a moment of silence before he spoke up again. "But I'm more interested in Voice Pheromones." Before Reo could react, Mihara grabbed his arms and started using the Stealing Alice on him.

Eyes wide, Reo pushed the mad man away and backed up against the door. "What the hell are you doing?!" he yelled.

The leader snickered and adjusted his glasses. "_Get down on the floor…" _

With that command, Reo dropped to the floor like a block of cement. He couldn't control his body. It could only mean one thing. Mihara had successfully stolen his Voice Pheromone Alice. Reo went sick inside. Mihara was betraying him. "You bastard!" he uttered. "Give me back my Alice!"

Mihara stared at Reo, his sharp eyes devoid of emotion, his lips curled into a nasty smile. "By the way, I'm planning on Stealing Aya's Alice as well. I'm sure her Copy Alice would make me more invincible. It has really been a pleasure having you as a member of my organization." Using Voice Pheromones once again, he said, "_For your final mission, I want you to die together with Narumi._"

Reo did his best to resist the command, but his best was not enough. The Voice Pheromone Alice took over his body. The thought of death made him think of academy days with Narumi, the senior he looked up to the most, and Aya, the girl he treated like a sister. He remembered something Narumi had said about protecting what was important to him.

_To be continued… _

_

* * *

_JC: This story is nearing an end, everyone. I'm happy to say that Natsume and Mikan will be reunited in the next chapter. But there are still going to have problems with Ruka. It's been revealed that the leader has been deceiving his own members all along. All he wants is power to rule. More fight scenes are coming your way. Remember that somebody is going to die. I'm not telling. But it will happen soon. Please review. No flaming!


	45. A Stronger Will

JC: The leader of the Anti-Alice Organization is a douche bag. He's crazy enough to betray his own members in exchange for power. Aya's going to be in trouble once the Copy Alice will be taken from her. On the other hand, Reo was ordered to kill Narumi. Will he be able to do it? There will be a touching reunion here. In addition to that, Natsume and the others will face Aya and a whole lot more.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 45: A Stronger Will

Their connection had ended. Her image had disappeared and his own reflection returned to the crystal. Natsume banged his fists hard on the crystal, wishing it would let him see his girlfriend again. Hibiki Ryou came and disturbed their precious moment, and he knew that at that moment Mikan was in trouble. He was dead worried about her, though his expression was grave. His heart was telling him to hurry, to go and save her before it was too late. Every minute was crucial. As he stood and straightened up, he turned to the group. He could see that everyone was determined too. They were not afraid to face any challenges ahead, just like him.

"That bastard AAO leader has Mikan's Alices now," Tsubasa said, clenching his fists tight. "In addition to that, he has the power to turn people into stone. He's like Medusa. Facing him would be suicide, but I don't care." In the past, he almost got killed because of the AAO leader. Nevertheless, he was willing to face him again for his junior's sake.

Natsume silently agreed with Tsubasa. Although their Alices would be rendered useless again the AAO leader, they had their skills to back them up.

When Sora flew over to another large crystal in the room, Nobara approached it in curiosity. The bird was acting weird again and it seemed to know something about the crystal. She did see her reflection fading away from the crystal. "What's going on?" she muttered, taking a step backward. A portal suddenly opened up as soon as her reflection vanished. "Everyone, there's a portal here…"

At that moment, Aya came out and kicked Nobara away. "Sorry for being rude, Ice Princess," she said with a laugh, as Nobara hit the ground roughly. "I didn't think you would be caught off-guard."

Tsubasa gritted his teeth and rushed towards the silver-haired girl. "You're going to pay for that, Aya!" he yelled. Aya took flight the minute Tsubasa tried to step on her shadow. "Come back here!"

"Senpai, you're really cute when you're angry," Aya said, giggling like a sweet little girl. "Sadly, you're not my type." She conjured an energy sphere in her hand and hauled it towards the senior.

Natsume stopped the sphere with his fire ball and began attacking Aya. Try as he might, his attacks were useless against her. She was too quick and agile for her own good. Natsume was having a hard time bringing her down and Aya doesn't seem to be worried at all.

_She's not easy to beat, _Misaki thought, as she jumped from one crystal to another. _But we have to defeat her. _Pushing her doubts aside, she jumped towards Aya and grabbed her. Aya was surprised by her sudden attack and struggled to push Misaki away. In retaliation, Misaki used her Alice and created a double, making it more difficult for Aya to stay in midair.

"Let go of me, bitch!" Aya demanded, elbowing Misaki's double in the stomach.

"You're the bitch here!" both Misaki's retorted back.

Nobara created ice daggers and said, "Harada-san, please move away." Misaki heard her clearly and released Aya. Nobara immediately threw the ice daggers, and Aya only managed to dodge one. One ice dagger scratched her leg and the other pierced through her arm. "I got her."

Misaki landed beside her with good balance and patted her shoulder. "Good job, Ibaragi-san," she said. "We make a good pair."

Aya landed and knelt down on the ground, clutching her injured arm. Gritting her teeth, she glared at the two girls. "You're going to pay for what you did to me," she said coldly, emitting a murderous aura. She didn't expect any of them to be good enough to hurt her. She had taken them easily before. It seemed like they've gotten better, she thought. "Don't think that a little wound is going to stop me."

The doppelganger split into five and charged towards the AAO member in a flash. Aya dodged every attack they launched and annihilated the four clones with one of her copied Alices. Nobara and Natsume combined their powers in an attempt to damage Aya further, but the girl was quick in evading. Tsubasa was about to use Shadow Manipulation when Aya noticed him and blasted him away with an energy blast. Angered by this, Misaki ran up to Aya and strived to kick her. Much to her dismay, Aya caught her leg, swung her around like a rag doll, and threw her away.

"Is that the best you can do?" Aya said with a yawn. "I'm already injured here and you can't even land one attack on me. This is getting boring."

"Damn… She fights like she isn't injured at all…" Tsubasa muttered under his breath. Standing up, he noticed that he was near the portal where Aya came out. The portal was still active. "This may lead us to their headquarters."

Misaki and Nobara had started their assault again, giving their all just to defeat the silver-haired girl. On the other hand, the flame-caster was being bothered by Sora. Obviously Natsume wanted to fight Aya, but the bird has other plans for him. Just then, without any warning, Tsubasa grabbed Natsume and dragged him towards the portal.

"What do you think you're doing, Shadow?" Natsume questioned, brushing his hand away.

Sora was making some weird chirping sounds as it circled around them. After that, it went near the portal and pointed its wing at it. Tsubasa somehow got the message and looked at Natsume seriously. "This portal will lead us to Mikan," he said. "We can't waste any more time here. Let Misaki and Ibaragi handle Aya."

Natsume shrugged. "Are you stupid?" he replied, glancing at the girls. "Do you think they're strong enough to handle that silver-haired witch?" His voice was cold and hard, and his eyes were calculating.

The shadow manipulator sighed in frustration. "Just get in already!" he said, pushing Natsume into the portal with one swift movement. He was going in next, but he paused for a while. He looked towards his girlfriend, who was fighting agilely. He didn't want to leave her, but he had to. "Misaki, don't get killed by Aya, ok?! Promise me that we'll see each other again!"

Misaki created two doubles and let them attack Aya. "What the hell are you talking about?!" She turned her head at Tsubasa and smiled confidently. "There's no way I'm letting this girl defeat me. So, I'm guessing you're going to use the portal. Well, good luck. Try not to cause any trouble for Natsume-kun, Tsubasa."

"You make it sound like I'm the irresponsible one," Tsubasa said with a chuckle. "I'm going now. Take care, Misaki…" His voice became solemn as his dark-blue eyes softened up. It was hard to leave his girlfriend when facing such danger, but he believed in Misaki's strength. Putting his hesitation aside, he entered the portal.

* * *

"You okay, Hibiki-kun?" said Mikan, stroking his dark hair gently. After canceling Aya's manipulation, Ryou became weak and collapsed to the floor. Mikan took the liberty of positioning his head on her lap and to check if he was all right.

Ryou one-eyed her and smiled with a pain-stricken expression. "Just peachy, Mikan-sama," he answered. He sat up, rubbing his temple, feeling a light headache. "I owe you a lot for saving me from Aya. Thanks…"

Mikan smiled gracefully and took hold of his hand. "I'm just glad that you're all right, Hibiki-kun," she said, and the lad's face flushed red in an instant. He blushed more when he noticed that Mikan was only covered in sheets and nothing more. "Hibiki-kun, you're red. Don't tell me you're coming up with a fever?"

He shook his head violently, then stopped shaking because his head still hurt. "Umm… Mikan-sama, we better get you some clothes…" Before he'll lose his mind completely, he thought.

"I know…" Mikan replied with a sigh. "I'm kinda embarrassed that you saw me in such a state."

"I'm sorry for asking this, but why are you naked anyway?" Ryou said, focusing on Mikan's amber eyes. "Did you take a shower? You could've used the towel to dry yourself."

The brunette turned her head away. There was still a smile present on her face but it was only forced. "They didn't give me clothes anymore…" she said sadly. "I had to cover my body somehow." Her voice was almost cracking. The real reason was because Ruka and her did it. Until now, the memory was fresh in her mind.

Ryou figured to stop questioning her and get a move on. They weren't out of the hot water yet. If Aya finds out that he's out of her control, he'll be killed for sure. He stood up and held out his hand for Mikan. "I'll get you something to wear and then we'll get out of here," he said. "How does that sound to you, Mikan-sama?"

Nodding her head, she took Ryou's hand. As she was hoisted up with one swift movement, she lost her balance and fell towards Ryou's hard chest. Ryou's ears let out stream as his face became as red as a tomato. "I'm sorry, Hibiki-kun," she said, oblivious to Ryou's heart pounding state. "It's really hard to move with these sheets." She showed him an innocent smile, causing his heart to skip a beat.

"You don't have to apologize, Mikan-sama," Ryou said, moving away from her before he would think of any malicious things. "Wait here and I'll fetch some clothes."

"Wait! What if Aya catches you? She can tell if you're not manipulated anymore."

"Don't worry, Mikan-sama, because Aya is not even here at the moment," Ryou said. "From what I've recently heard, she was sent out to deal with intruders. I'm not sure if those intruders are from the academy or not, but it's worth checking out."

"Okay… Be careful, Hibiki-kun…"

"I'm happy that you're concerned about me," Ryou said, reaching for the door knob and turning it to open the door. "It's quite an honor, Mikan-sama." After that, he left the room.

Mikan lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling for a while. The intruders Ryou mentioned about troubled her. What if it was Natsume? She did spoke to Natsume a while ago before the manipulated Ryou came and shattered the mirror into pieces. The Natsume in the mirror was the real deal, and she hoped to see him soon. When the door creaked, Mikan jumped up and saw Ryou coming in with clothes in his hand. Finally, it was time to get dressed.

The black cardigan, the white shirt, the blue tie and pleated skirt—definitely the Alice Academy standard uniform for female middle school students. Ryou told her that the organization had a bunch of academy uniforms lying around, so he didn't mind taking them. Mikan was delighted that he found her something comfortable to wear and thanked Ryou with a simple peck on the cheek. Once again Ryou became like a red Christmas bulb. He considered himself to be a very lucky guy.

"I'm all set," Mikan said after tying her bow properly. "Hibiki-kun, do you know where Hotaru and the others are?" She and Ruka had searched for them earlier and ended up getting captured again. She didn't want that to happen with Ryou.

"I know my way around this place, and some AAO chick gave me a tour around the prison rooms," Ryou replied, winking an eye. "So, I know where they are."

Mikan clapped her hands in delight. "That's great. You're very reliable, Hibiki-kun."

Ryou coolly brushed his hands through his hair. "I get that a lot," he said proudly. "Now let us go." He held the door for Mikan and bowed his head like a gentleman.

_Wait for me Hotaru, everyone…_ She put on a serious face as she started towards the door. Once she'll step out of the room, she knew there were dangers expecting her. The leader of the AAO had the power to end her friend's lives in a blink of an eye, so she reminded herself not to get careless. _I'll save you all. _Nevertheless, she wasn't going to hide and back out. She was willing to fight.

* * *

Natsume jumped up on a tree branch, carefully and agilely, and scanned the woods. The portal led him and Tsubasa to a freaky forest where the AAO headquarters can be seen from afar. He looked around, checking if there were any enemies around. Rotating slowly on the balls of his feet, he surveyed all around him. After that, he jumped down and landed on the ground with perfect balance.

"No one's around to fight us," Tsubasa said, leaning his back against the tree trunk. "Now that's weird."

He spoke too soon because three AAO members in black suits appeared before them. They were all carrying guns, which were not good for the two boys. The members also revealed that they had Invulnerability, Telekinesis, and Speed Alice. Tsubasa thought up of several maneuvers, most of which would end with a similar conclusion: their body bleeding a lot. One idea offered a glimmer of hope. Tsubasa went over it again; it seemed reasonably sound. Besides, he couldn't come up with anything better and he had to do something. His plan was simple. He'll secretly throw a tiny smoke bomb at them, then he and Natsume will hide and surprise attack them once the smoke clears up. His stomach flip-flopped and he made his move, gradually pulling out a small smoke bomb about the size of a marble. He flung it towards the AAO members with one flick of a finger. When the smoke came out, Tsubasa told Natsume to run and hide.

The AAO open fired, and the boys almost got hit. Luckily, they were fast enough to hide behind a tree. Now they would just have to wait for the smoke to clear.

"You better not get yourself killed, brat," Tsubasa said, smirking, as the flame-caster rolled his eyes away. "Okay, get ready. We're going to show them that they're just a bunch of sorry losers." Tsubasa sprung away from the shelter of the tree, pirouetting backward, passing another tree, all done rapidly and with good timing. When the smoke was gone, Tsubasa ran quickly and stepped on the shadows of two members. He wasn't able to reach the other one.

The AAO member aimed the gun at Tsubasa. His first shot burned a furrow across his left shoulder. Tsubasa almost lost control over his Alice because of the pain. "Dammit… He got me…" he muttered, clenching his teeth.

"Die!" the AAO member yelled. His second shot only whispered past Tsubasa's ear, because Natsume disrupted his aim with fire.

"You're going to pay," Natsume said dangerously. He hauled fire balls at the guy, with a great intention to burn him alive. The member didn't make an attempt to move from his spot. He got hit by the fire balls dead on, but they didn't scratch him one bit. "Damn… He's invulnerable."

"It's going to take more than fire to stop me, Black Cat," the AAO member said. He started firing at Natsume. Agile as a cat, Natsume evaded the bullets and he fired several fire balls at the member again. "Fire can't hurt me, stupid!"

One of his bullets slammed Natsume's left wrist, slicing across it. His hand went numb, useless. He thought that this couldn't be happening. He grumbled in defiance, flung a fire whip, and charged towards the invulnerable man.

Tsubasa wanted to help Natsume, but he was too busy keeping the other two at bay. He can't do any physical combat either because he was injured. He lowered his gaze on the ground, trying to come up with another plan. After a little while, he managed to think of something. He'll need Natsume's cooperation for this. "Natsume, you can't beat him with force," he said. "We have to outsmart him. I can do something about him, you know."

Evading another shot, Natsume briefly glanced at Tsubasa and understood his intention. He created a fire whip and wrapped it around the member. The flames were not able to hurt him, but it would allow him to cast a shadow towards Tsubasa.

"Now just keep it steady," Tsubasa said, increasing the power of his Shadow Manipulation Alice. Using the whip's shadow, he was able to reach the invulnerable one's shadow and stopped his movements. "Hey, Natsume, what should we do with them? They did manage to hurt us."

Natsume shrugged. "Do what you want," he said nonchalantly. "I don't want to waste my time on them."

"You're right. Hmm… Okay, I'll do this then…" Tsubasa pulled out a pen from his pocket and wrote 'Fight each other' on the men's shadows. "This will keep them busy." He chuckled in a sly manner as the members started fighting.

"Let's go," Natsume said as he walked off. Tsubasa followed after him, asking him if he was all right. "You should worry about yourself first. I'm not the only one injured here." Pain struck him all of a sudden. He knelt down, looking at his wound. The pain was bad but the blood was worse. Blood oozed from the hole like the juice from an overripe tomato, thick and red.

Tsubasa managed to get a tourniquet in place, but the blood still seeped. His left shoulder bled appreciably, providing him with so much discomfort. "Can we still go on like this?" he asked only to receive a glare from the flame-caster. "I guess we still can." He sighed deeply.

* * *

Standing in front of a prison room, Mikan's chest tightened with anxiety. Hotaru was in that room, as Ryou told her, and she was both feeling excited and nervous to see her. The moment Ryou opened the locked door Mikan drew in a deep breath, calming herself down. She was going to see Hotaru again. And when she entered, she was shocked to see her best friend. It was horrible. Aside from being chained to the walls, Hotaru had bruises and wounds all over her body. Her once slick raven-hair was now disheveled and her face was almost unrecognizable. Mikan couldn't help but cry for her. She thought she had it worse, but it was clear that Hotaru had gone through a lot of suffering.

Step by step, she muttered Hotaru's name as her tears continued to flow. Her knees felt like it was going to snap like a twig any minute. "I can't believe they did this to you…" she said, reaching for her face. "I'm so sorry, Hotaru. I'm sorry if I couldn't protect you." Tears dropped to the floor like droplets of rain.

"Your crying face makes you thirty-percent less graceful to me, dummy," a cold yet frail voice came from Hotaru. Mikan, of course, was surprised at this, but she didn't stop crying. Hotaru lifted her head and gazed into the brunette's amber orbs. "And why are you saying sorry to me? If you think that this is your fault then you're really an idiot, Mikan."

Mikan clamped her mouth as her body trembled with a mixture of happiness and sadness. "Hotaru… Hotaru…" She closed her eyes. "Thank goodness you're still alive!" She lunged towards the inventor to give her a hug.

"You're lucky I can't move my hands or else I would have hit you by now," Hotaru said icily yet she had a tender smile on her face. She was happy to see Mikan again, relieved to see that she was unharmed. "Now stop the drama and get me out of here."

Ryou scratched the back of his head. "Geez, for an injured person, you sure are demanding," he said. "Well, I can't break the chains since they're Alice-proof. The only way to get you out of here is through this." He took out a white Alice stone from his pocket and showed it to the girls.

"What is that, Hibiki-kun?" Mikan asked.

"This is a warp stone, Mikan-sama. It's designed to warp you directly in front of Alice Academy main gate. This is not affected by any prevention devices. I learned this from Aya. But this can only be used by one person. I have two more, but I was planning on giving them to Ogasawara Nonoko and Narumi-sensei."

Hotaru narrowed her amethyst eyes. "Do you mean to tell me that you two are still planning to hang around here?" she asked. "I refuse to leave without Mikan."

"You're clearly in no state to stay here any longer, Imai," Ryou said, dropping his calm façade. "Look at you… You're all worn out. You need medical attention."

"Hibiki-kun's right, Hotaru…" Mikan said, and Hotaru shot her a glare. "Hotaru, I know you're worried about me, but please listen. You're in no condition to face enemies. You'll only get hurt more and I don't want that to happen. Moreover, I still have some business here."

With a heavy heart Hotaru decided to give in, though she can't stop worrying about the brunette. "Mikan, promise me one thing…" she said. "Promise me that you'll return to the academy safely."

Mikan nodded her head. "I promise…" She gave her best friend another hug but with more love this time. "You better promise me that you will not do anything reckless once you've returned, okay?" She pulled back to face Hotaru with a smile.

"Hmph… I can't promise you that," Hotaru replied unemotionally, and Mikan pouted cutely. "Until now, you still have the tendency to act like a child. Mikan, you're so immature, but that's what I like about you." Her stoic expression changed into a more affectionate one.

"And you're still mean to me, Hotaru," Mikan said with a giggle.

Ryou sighed loudly in frustration to interrupt the girls. "Mikan-sama, we still have to free Kyo and Ogasawara," he reminded Mikan.

"You're right…" Mikan said, moving away from Hotaru. "Hibiki-kun, if you please…"

"Sure thing, Mikan-sama." Ryou placed the warp stone against Hotaru's temple and focused part of his energy into it to activate it. "You'll be there in no time, Imai."

"Wait… Before I forget…" Hotaru said. "Do me a favor and punch that stupid Natsume when you see him. I have a bone to pick with him." She sounded serious about that, and Ryou thought she was merely joking.

"Take care of yourself, Hotaru," Mikan said, slightly waving her hand.

"Remember to keep your promise, dummy," Hotaru said dispassionately, turning her head away. "I won't forgive me if you don't come back."

"Hotaru…"

The warp stone glowed brighter and enveloped the inventor in its light. In a matter of seconds, Hotaru's body disappeared from sight, letting the chains crackle and fall into place. Hotaru went back to Alice Academy. Ryou and Mikan were left in the room, clearly having eyes of determination. Their next stop was Kyo and Nonoko's prison cell.

_To be continued… _

_

* * *

_JC: Phew… I had a hard time with the fight scenes here. It's difficult to put your imagination into words. I'm sorry to say this but someone is going to die in the next chapter. I won't tell who it is. Expect the unexpected, okay? Natsume and Mikan will finally be reunited too. And you may be wondering about Reo and Narumi-sensei. Well, they will have their screentime too. Please review this chapter. No flaming.


	46. Shedding of Blood and Tears

JC: Finally, I'm on chapter 46. I don't know, but I guess this is going to be up to chapter 50 or so. Natsume and Mikan will be reunited here, and you'll find out if Reo is going to kill Narumi-sensei. Someone is going to die in this chapter. I'm not that good in death scenes. Don't expect much out of it.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 46: Shedding of Blood and Tears

Drowning in trepidation, Mikan sighed softly but this noise seemed to catch the attention of Ryou. She managed to plaster a small smile on her face, showing him that she was all right. Truth to be known, even though she recently reunited with Hotaru again, she was already missing her like crazy. She lowered her head so her hair would curtain her face and her slightly watery eyes. She wasn't going to cry. However, she was on the verge of crying. Another thing that was bothering her mind was about the intruders. She had a good feeling that it was Natsume and the others.

She continued to follow Ryou in silence until they've reached another prison cell. She noticed Ryou's hand shaking as he positioned it over the panel of numbers. "What's the matter, Hibiki-kun?" she asked. The lad gave her a smile and told her it was nothing. But Mikan knew that he seemed to be nervous. So, after he inputted the code, she stopped his hand from entering the unlock key. "Are you thinking that Kyo-kun might be angry at you for what you did?"

Ryou looked at her in surprise. Was he that obvious? "You know, I always get afraid of Kyo when he's mad," he said, brushing his hand through his dark hair to ease up a bit. "He's usually calm and reserved, but he can be very intimidating when provoked. He's one guy you don't want to mess with. Despite that, he's still a good friend. I think I failed as a best friend. I let the AAO manipulate me and helped them to capture Kyo."

The brunette shook her head as she rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb. "You didn't fail, Hibiki-kun," she said. "Like Kyo-kun, you're a good friend too. It's not your fault why he's imprisoned here right now. I think Kyo-kun will hate you if you blame yourself." She then took the liberty of pressing the final key which opened up the prison door. And when Mikan went inside, she almost got attacked with a pillow by Ogasawara Nonoko. It was a good thing Kyo stopped her in time.

"Mikan-chan, I'm sorry…" Nonoko said, dropping the pillow to the floor. "I thought it was another AAO agent. But I'm glad that it's you!" She lunged forward and hugged Mikan with all her might.

"Nonoko-chan, thank goodness you're safe," Mikan said, hugging the chemist back. "Did the AAO try anything funny to you? Did they try to hurt you?" She pulled herself away to face Nonoko.

"No, they didn't…" Nonoko answered shyly, fiddling with her fingers, as she glanced at Kyo. "I was protected by Kyo all this time." Her cheeks turned a little red.

Ryou walked to Kyo and draped his arm over his shoulders. "Kyo, you're the knight in shining armor for Ogasawara," he said, smiling widely. "You must be proud of it, huh?" He was expecting a good comment from his best friend, but he received a deadly glare instead. At this point, Ryou knew that Kyo was angry at him.

Kyo cleared his throat before speaking. "You do know that you were one of the agents who wanted to take Nonoko away," he said, pinching his arm, as he removed it from his shoulder. "And remember that you gave me a hard time here, Ryou." His voice was menacing enough to scare Ryou.

"Oh, come on, you knew that I was being controlled. You can't stay that it's my fau—"

The genius platinum blue-haired boy gave him a good and powerful punch, sending him flying across the room. "It feels good to have finally hit you," he said, showing off a handsome smile. "It takes a load off my chest. I hope it didn't hurt too much, Ryou." His voice was full of sarcasm.

"Punching Hibiki-kun… Isn't that a bit too extreme, Kyo?" Nonoko said.

"Don't worry about him, Nonoko," he assured her. "That guy is tougher than steel. He's not going to break with a punch like that, right, Ryou?"

In an instant, Ryou recovered and got back to his feet. "Damn you, Kyo! Did you have to punch me?!" he exclaimed very fast as he flailed his arms up and down.

"Can it, Ryou," Kyo said, pointing a finger at Ryou. "That was just a simple payback." After that, he laughed cheerfully and patted his best friend's shoulder. He was never angry with Ryou. He had a knack of teasing Ryou by pretending to be angry. He knew very well that Ryou feared his rage the most.

Ryou sighed deeply. "Could you stop making me nervous, Kyo?" he said in an exasperated tone.

"I can't promise you that." Shifting his gaze on the brunette, he gave out a smile and said, "I'm glad to see you're fine, Mikan-sama. But it's obvious that Hyuuga failed to protect you from the AAO. However, he's trying to make up for his mistake as we speak."

Mikan tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean, Kyo-kun?" she asked.

Nonoko was the one who answered her. "We heard one of the guards talking about the intruders a while ago. He said that the Black Cat and his team have arrived." She took Mikan's hand into hers. "That means Natsume-kun is here. He's here for you, Mikan-chan. Isn't that great?"

Mikan became more anxious to see her boyfriend. Natsume had always been the risk-taker. No matter what, he was more than willing to put his life on the line for her. Even though she disliked him for being overly reckless at times, she really loved him for his selflessness. "I hope I can meet up with Natsume soon…" she muttered. "Let's get going before anyone finds us here."

"Wait… I have to give Ogasawara something first," Ryou said, taking out an Alice stone from his pocket and handing it to Nonoko. "This stone can warp you back to the academy in a snap. It can only take one person. Use it to get out now."

"O-Okay… How about Kyo? Are you going to give him one too?" Nonoko asked.

Ryou heaved a sigh and gave Kyo a knowing look. It didn't take a while for Kyo to realize what Ryou meant. "Nonoko, you go on ahead," Kyo said. "I'll catch up with you later."

Nonoko shook her head. "What are you saying?" She turned to Ryou and asked for another stone. But Ryou only smiled sadly at her. "Wait a minute… Is this the last stone?"

"Not exactly… I still have one more," Ryou replied, scratching the back of his head. "The last one's for Narumi-sensei."

"Then how about Mikan-chan? Do you have a stone?" Nonoko was getting more nervous by the second.

Mikan walked up to Nonoko and gave her a hug. "I still have some unfinished business here, Nonoko-chan, so I can't go yet," she muttered calmly. She stepped back to face the chemist and smiled. "I have to go meet Natsume too. He's probably on his way here."

"Nonoko, I'm going to stay here and help them," Kyo said. "I'm sorry if I can't come back to the academy with you."

"If you're all staying, then I will too!" Nonoko exclaimed, lowering her head and closing her eyes tight. "I don't want to be the only one safe."

"But you don't have a reason to stay here any longer, Nonoko," Kyo said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You told me that you were the one who helped Aya spread the sickness around the academy. But you've also injected the cure in Umenomiya-san's blood. Nonoko, you're the only one who can save Umenomiya-san and the others. You have to go back to the academy."

Nonoko surveyed his sincere expression. Clearly he was being so concerned with her and the others. But she couldn't help feeling afraid of leaving him. "I'll go… Just promise me that you'll come back safe and sound. Please… Kyo…" She loved him so much. She didn't want him to get hurt.

He leaned forward and brushed his lips across hers. Ryou and Mikan were certainly surprised at this, and Nonoko became too stunned to even respond. "Don't worry… I promise that I'll come back to you. So, please, wait for me, Nonoko. Wait for me." He caressed her cheek with one hand, while the other touched the Alice stone. Smiling pleasantly at her, he focused a bit of his energy into the stone to activate it. "Good-bye for now…"

The stone glowed furiously in a bright light, enveloping Nonoko's body instantaneously. Her body was becoming transparent, much to her surprise, and her vision of Kyo and the others was blurring. "Wait… Kyo… Mikan-chan… Hibiki-kun…"

Mikan waved a hand at Nonoko, smiling cheerfully as usual. "See you soon, Nonoko-chan," she said. "I'll watch over Kyo-kun for you."

"I'll make sure he stays alive," Ryou said with a wide grin. "You can count on that!"

"Everyone… Please take care!" Nonoko uttered. Her voice was drowned out in the blinding white flash from the stone and then she was gone. Nonoko has gone back to the academy.

There was a brief silence among the group until Ryou decided to break it. He slapped Kyo's back hard and let out a jolly chuckle. "Man, I didn't know you and Ogasawara were in a relationship already. I've always thought you like to take things slow, Kyo." He went over to Mikan and hugged her like a stuffed animal. "Mikan-sama, Kyo was pretty sweet, wasn't he? I bet that was Ogasawara's first kiss!"

With his heterochromatic eyes gleaming sinisterly, Kyo pulled Ryou away from Mikan and smacked his head with an iron fist. "You're taking advantage of Mikan-sama again, you perverted moron!" he uttered, showing a cold expression. But his expression immediately changed into a good one when he faced Mikan. "Let us go, Mikan-sama. We can't afford to stay here any longer."

Rubbing his sore head, Ryou said, "I've been reduced from best friend to a mere punching bag." He regained his composure again and peeked out of the door. "Okay, our next stop is Narumi-sensei. He's in the infirmary. I'll lead the way. Make sure you two follow me closely."

* * *

With the command issued in his system, Mouri Reo had no choice but to kill Narumi-sensei. His heart was pounding in anxiety as he walked towards the infirmary, holding a handgun in his right hand. Although he bore hatred for Narumi, he still cared for him. He didn't want to kill the senior he looked up to. He didn't want to kill the friend who had always helped in the past. However, he couldn't overcome his own Alice—the Alice that was now in the hands of his leader. He didn't expect Mihara to betray him like this after years of serving him. The leader became obsessed with power that he wanted to have every powerful Alices.

The moment he stepped into the infirmary, he felt a big lump on his throat. He was only a few steps away from killing Narumi-sensei. Slowly, he walked towards the bed and gazed down on the blonde, who was still in a comatose state. He raised his gun and pointed it at his forehead. At this point, he wished Narumi would wake up and stop him. His hand starting shaking, feeling hopeless. He had so many things he wanted to tell his senior, but it was too late. He was going to shoot him.

_Naru-senpai, I'm sorry… _He placed pressure on the trigger as he closed his eyes. It was the end for his senior. But all of a sudden…

"Don't shoot him!" Mikan yelled out, pushing the singer away, making him shoot the ceiling instead. "What are you trying to do to Narumi-sensei? Have you forgotten that he's your senpai?"

"Get out of my way, Nullifier," Reo said, grabbing Mikan by the collar. "I've been ordered to kill him and I won't let you stop me."

Mikan noticed his lifeless eyes and figured that he was under control. "Snap out of it!" she uttered, activating Nullification. Even though she only had a tiny bit of Nullification power, she knew it would be enough to return Reo back to his normal state.

The Voice Pheromone Alice got canceled and Reo returned to normal. He released Mikan, dropped to his knees, and panted hard. "I almost killed him…" he said. He had Mikan to thank for stopping him from making one of the biggest mistakes in his life. But he wondered why Mikan still possessed the Nullification Alice when it was supposed to be within the leader now. He looked up at Mikan only to see her smiling at him. "Nullifier, how did you…?"

"If you're going to ask me about my Alice, then I'll gladly tell you," she said. "I didn't give all of my Alices to your leader." She winked a playful eye and giggled.

Reo smirked. "Clever move," he said. He got up to his feet and shifted his gaze on the blonde teacher. "He would've been dead now if it wasn't for you. You have my thanks. My Voice Pheromone Alice actually got stolen by the leader and he used it on me. He ordered me to kill Naru-senpai."

"So, it wasn't Aya's manipulation…?"

"Aya would never use manipulation on me," Reo said, sighing deeply, as he thought about the Aya. "She looks up to me like a brother. She will never do anything to hurt me."

"I see... Speaking of Aya, your leader is planning on stealing Aya's Copy Alice," Mikan said. "He's so despicable. I can't believe he would betray his own comrades. You must be pretty mad at him too, huh?"

Reo wanted revenge for what Mihara did and he wasn't going to let him hurt Aya. "Yeah, he's a bastard," he said, clenching one hand. "His obsession for power is getting out of hand. We have to find him and stop him. We have to get back our Alices."

Kyo and Ryou entered the infirmary after beating up some AAO members outside. When they saw Reo, they told him to get away from Mikan and prepared to attack him. But Mikan went in front of Reo to protect him and informed them that Reo was on their side now.

"Are you serious, Mikan-sama?" Ryou asked, narrowing his hazel eyes at Reo. "How do we know that we can trust him?"

"He has been betrayed by his own leader and his Alice got taken away," Mikan said as she turned around to face Reo. "Besides, he's Narumi-sensei's kouhai. He may not show it but he cares a lot about Narumi-sensei. Isn't that right, Reo-san?"

Reo turned his head away and raked his fingers through his hair. "Whatever..." he said, feeling uneasy. "Okay, let's stop the chit-chat. First of all, we have to get Naru-senpai out of here."

Since Mikan trusted Reo, Kyo decided to trust him as well. "Ryou here prepared a Warp Alice stone for Narumi-sensei," he said. "I'm sure you know how it works."

"When Naru-senpai is transported, I'm sure the principals will be able to detect him right away," Reo explained, putting out his hand. "Give me the stone now." Ryou seemed reluctant at first, but after getting elbowed by Kyo, he handed the stone to Reo. After that, Reo placed the stone on Narumi's chest and activated it.

Mikan took Narumi's hand and held it against her cheek. "Otou-san, I hope you'll wake up when I come back to the academy," she said softly. "I've really missed you so much." She leaned towards him and planted a sweet kiss on his temple. In a matter of seconds, Narumi was engulfed in a bright light and then he disappeared.

"Now I have fewer things to worry about," Reo said, walking towards the door. He reached for the knob and paused. "Nullifier, you told me once to go back to the academy. I don't know if the other teachers will forgive me, but I've realized that Alice Academy is better than this organization. It was a big mistake to join it in the first place. After all of this is done, I want to spend the rest of my life in the academy together with Aya."

Ryou was appalled. "With Aya? Are you kidding me? That Aya will never be accepted in Alice Academy. She's nothing but a two-faced lying she-witch!" He was still sore at her for manipulating him.

"You have no right to say such things about her, because you don't know her true self," Reo spoke with sincerity. "Aya has been through a lot. It wasn't her fault why she became the Ace of the organization. When she was still very young, her Manipulation Alice went berserk and accidentally killed her parents. She was devastated. She thought she could never smile again until she met you, Sakura Mikan."

Mikan was confused by this. "Wait… I met Aya before? When? I don't remember."

Reo heaved a sigh as he opened the door. "You comforted her and brought back her smile. You knew her parents died, and you wanted to be with her to make her happy all the time. You also promised that you'll be her friend forever. Aya was very grateful to have met you. Tragedy came when you saved her from getting hit by a car. You were severely injured and Aya blamed herself for what happened to you. She became convinced that she was bad luck to those around her, so she ran away. The accident might have erased your memories of Aya, which is why you can't remember about her."

It was unbelievable. She actually befriended Aya before. And the reason she couldn't remember was because of the accident. Well, she did remember waking up in a hospital, but she never figured out how she got there. "Aya was my friend…" she said. It was all making sense now. It was no wonder Aya was so fond of her. "But how did Aya end up with the organization, Reo-san?"

"There's no time for me to explain," Reo said, gripping his gun tight. "You have to go and help your friends, while I'll go and stop that bastard of a leader. Don't get yourselves killed." With that, he dashed out of the room and disappeared into the hallways.

* * *

When Natsume and Tsubasa came through the main entrance, they noticed three things: Anti-Alice men facedown on the floor, blood on the wall, and a familiar blonde guy standing across them. Keeping their cool, they concentrated their eyes on the guy's lifeless sapphire eyes, as Natsume conjured a flame in his uninjured hand. Both of them could see that he was still under the AAO's control, although they wondered why he had to kill the other members.

Natsume stepped forward and said, "Ruka, tell me where Mikan is." His voice was as cold as ice. "Tell me now or else…" He wasn't going to hesitate to burn his best friend.

Ruka smirked arrogantly and conjured a flame in his hand as well. Of course, Natsume and Tsubasa got surprised, knowing that he doesn't possess the Alice of Fire. "This Alice is a gift from the leader himself," he said. "He gave me this power to eliminate you once and for all, Natsume."

"The leader gave you that power?" Tsubasa muttered. "So, it's true. The bastard has Mikan's Alices. We're in big trouble, Natsume."

"I don't need you to tell me that," Natsume said with a shrug. "Ruka, you haven't answered my question yet. Where is Mikan?"

"Why would I tell you?" Ruka replied. "There's no way I'll hand Sakura over to you, because she's mine now." After making love to her, his obsession for her only grew. He was planning on doing it again once he was done with his mission. Sakura's taste was so heavenly and he wanted to run his hands all over her body once more.

Natsume narrowed his eyes and made his flame brighter. "Ruka, Mikan never considered you more than a friend," he said as he began walking towards Ruka. "Her feelings for you are simply platonic. You can't force her to love you." He stopped until he reached a certain distance away from Ruka and created more flames around him.

"Platonic, huh? Is it really?" Ruka chuckled ominously and threw the fireball towards the floor. "That's where you're wrong, Natsume. Didn't you know? Sakura and I made love already. We made love together and it was the best. I never thought she could do it with me so willingly, but she did."

Natsume and Tsubasa were simply speechless. Mikan did it with Ruka? Their minds couldn't even imagine that. Ruka must be messing with them, they thought. First of all, Mikan would never make love to another guy willingly. She was in love with Natsume. They also thought of the possibly of rape, but they didn't want to believe that Ruka could do such a thing to the girl he loves.

"Judging from your pathetic expressions, it seems that you don't believe me." With a snap of his finger, a fire wolf appeared before him. "It may sound farfetched, but it's the truth. You won't believe how sexy she sounds when she moans. Her moans make me want to devour her more. The softness of her breasts and her luscious lips are simply irresistible."

All of a sudden, Natsume recalled what Mikan was trying to say to him when they saw each other through the mirror. She was crying and trembling, as she clutched the bed sheet tightly, which was the only thing covering her nakedness. She was stuttering as she tried to tell him something.

"_Natsume, you have the right to know about…" She swallowed hard. She was hesitating to tell him about what happened between Ruka and her. She knew that the news would shock Natsume so much. "Ruka-pyon and I…we… we…"_

No, that can't be. Ruka was telling the truth. He really did make love to Mikan. You don't have to be a mind-reader to know. But Mikan's tears were proof that she didn't do it with him willingly. She was only forced. "You bastard!" Natsume exclaimed, surrounding himself in a pillar of fire. "How dare you do that to her?! You have no right!" He launched a series of fire attacks at Ruka.

The fire wolf blocked all attacks and charged towards Natsume. "I have every right, Natsume, because I love her," Ruka said, as the wolf tackled Natsume to the floor. "Time for you to die!"

"I won't let you!" Tsubasa stepped on the wolf's shadow, saving Natsume from becoming minced meat. "Ruka-pyon, snap out of it! You're attacking your own best friend here. We all know that you're only being controlled."

Ruka smiled grimly. "You're being a pest, Andou," he said, shooting multiple fireballs at him. Tsubasa had no choice but the leave the wolf's shadow to evade them. And when the wolf was freed, Ruka ordered it to kill Natsume.

In retaliation, Natsume kicked the fire wolf and immediately got back to his feet. The wolf hauled its flamethrower at him, but he ducked to avoid it. After another attack from the wolf, Natsume managed to blast it away with his fire, sending it towards the wall. "Andou, stop it from moving!" he yelled.

Tsubasa ran towards the wolf and stepped on its shadow. "He won't be moving for a while," he said, giving Natsume the thumbs up. However, Natsume wasn't the least bit pleased. As Tsubasa noticed, Natsume looked like he was about to kill someone. "Natsume…"

"Things are not looking good for me," Ruka said with a sigh, maintaining composure. "I supposed you want to kill me now for what I did to Sakura, huh? You were always the jealous-type, Natsume. You're always overprotective of her. But both of us share the same obsession. Right now, I'm thinking of taking her to bed again and kiss her like crazy."

"Ruka-pyon, you better stop…" Tsubasa muttered under his breath as he noticed Natsume's hands shaking in anger.

Ruka's smirk became wider. "Why don't I tell you how it felt when I was inside her?"

Natsume couldn't control his rage anymore. Lightning fast, he moved towards Ruka and punched him squarely on the face. Even with only one hand, he didn't give Ruka the chance to fall because he quickly pulled him towards him and punched his stomach. "I won't forgive you," he said, pushing Ruka to the floor. "I won't forgive you!" He kicked Ruka a couple of times before he stepped on his face.

"The guy has lost it," Tsubasa said. He wanted to stop Natsume from his rampage, but he had to hold off the fire wolf.

"Get off of me!" Ruka grabbed his foot and burned his leg with his fire. When Natsume moved away, he got up and threw fireballs at him. "You're really jealous now! You're jealous because I made love to Sakura. That's so typical of you."

Natsume created a fire whip and wrapped it around Ruka, not caring if it will burn the guy or not. "You can just die and go to hell!" he said, pulling the whip, making it tighter for Ruka.

"You can't accept the fact that Sakura is mine," Ruka said, still having the confidence to smirk. "Hmph… If you're going to kill me off, I don't think Sakura will be too happy about this. You know that she won't—AHH!" The whip was beginning to burn through his clothes.

"It's your fault to begin with," Natsume icily said. He walked towards Ruka and punched him again. He then threw him to the floor. "You promised to protect Mikan and you broke it. Manipulated or not, I won't forgive you." He created a fireball in his hand, preparing to burn Ruka to a crisp.

"Natsume, are you planning to kill Ruka-pyon?!" Tsubasa said, maintaining his Alice control. The fire wolf was still there. If he makes a mistake, then the wolf would be able to attack him. "Have you lost your mind?!"

"Shut the hell up! I don't care anymore!"

"Damn… He's not going to stop. What should I do?" Tsubasa clenched his hands, recalling what Natsume said to him back at the hotel.

_Natsume straightened up and slid one hand into his pocket. "Andou…" he called to him, and Tsubasa casually looked back at him. "If I ever snap, can I trust you to stop me?" He was saying this with eyes full of seriousness. _

_The shadow manipulator was a bit surprised with that. "Did I just hear you right? You're asking if you can trust me." He pointed a finger at himself. "Are you sick or something?" _

"_I'm not sick, you moron," Natsume said. "Just answer the stupid question." _

_Tsubasa smirked. "Stupid question, huh?" he muttered. "Well, you can trust me. You can count on me." _

"This is risky, but there's no other way." Tsubasa pulled out a pen from his pocket and knelt down. "This will only take a short while, but at least, this wolf won't bother me for about a minute." He scribbled down 'play dead' on the wolf's shadow. After that, the wolf lay down on its back, raising its feet into the hair, and played dead. It was perfect timing because Natsume was about to kill Ruka. Tsubasa immediately rushed towards Natsume and wrestled him to the floor.

"Why are you stopping me, Andou?!" Natsume exclaimed, threatening Tsubasa with fire.

The shadow manipulator gritted his teeth and punched Natsume across the face. "Wake up, you idiot!" he shouted, gripping Natsume's collar and pulling towards him. "Can't you see what you're about to do is wrong? Natsume, have you forgotten that Ruka is your best friend?!"

With that, Natsume regained back his senses and stared at Tsubasa with a confused expression. "Andou…" Putting on his cold expression, he shoved the senior away and turned away from him. "Tch… I didn't think you were capable enough to hit me like that. I want to punch you right now."

Tsubasa sighed deeply. "It's more appropriate if you say 'thank you' instead," he said.

"Natsume!" a familiar voice called.

The flame-caster's heart leaped. He turned his head to the direction of the voice and saw her. Yes, it was really Mikan. She was leaning against the wall, panting so hard, as she looked at Natsume sincerely. Now that she was there, he came to her swiftly, taking her into his arms, holding her tightly. And she clasped him just as tightly, leaning into his warmth and strength, breathing in his familiar scent. Bending, he captured her mouth in a kiss that tasted of urgency and raw male power—power that swept her along in its usual spell. When he lifted his head, they were both breathing hard, uneven gasps.

The brunette held his face as tears of joy came out. "I've longed for the moment to be able to touch you again," she said. "Natsume, I'm so happy. I'm so happy that you're here."

Although Tsubasa wanted to rejoice with the couple, he knew they weren't out of trouble yet. As he glanced down at Ruka, who was lying on the floor, barely conscious, he was struck with a foreboding feeling.

"Mikan-sama, Mikan-sama!" It was Ryou and Kyo, running towards Mikan. When they saw their charming idol in the flame-caster's hand, they stopped and pointed a finger at him. "AH! It's Hyuuga Natsume!" They spoke like twins.

Natsume shot them a glare, and Mikan just giggled. "Hibiki-kun, Kyo-kun, are you guys all right? Did you get hurt from beating those AAO guys?" On their way to the entrance they've encountered several AAO members. Kyo and Ryou immediately told Mikan to go ahead while they take care of them.

"We're fine," Kyo replied. "Thank you for your concern, Mikan-sama."

"Beating those guys up was a piece of cake for us," Ryou boasted, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm glad you guys are all right," she said. As she shifted her eyes on her senior, she quickly ran over to him and embraced him. "Tsubasa-senpai, I've missed you!" She was like a little sister who came to greet her big brother.

"I've missed you too, Mi—" Unexpectedly, Tsubasa was slashed from behind by none other than the wolf. "Crap, the shadow…" He dropped roughly on the floor, bleeding severely. He already received an injury from a gunshot, and now he has one big wound on his back. It can't get any worse for him, he thought.

Mikan knelt and gathered him into her arms. "Senpai, stay with me!" she said.

Ryou used his Alice of Magnetism to retrieve two guns from a fallen member. "That wolf is so dead!" He grabbed the guns and started shooting the wolf. Though the bullets were very, very fast, the wolf was faster. In addition to that, the guns didn't have much power.

Natsume attempted to catch the wolf with fire whip attack. But the wolf evaded the whip and used flamethrower at Natsume. Before the fire could reach him, Kyo went in front of him, shielding him. For a moment there, Natsume thought he was toast, but he could see that Kyo was still fine.

"My Alice of Reinforcement is useful at times like this," Kyo said, brushing some dirt from his shoulder. "I made my clothes fireproof."

The wolf sensed that he could not win against the boys, so he decided to escape. He quickly went towards Ruka, picked up him with his mouth, and dashed out of the room.

"It got Ruka-pyon!" Mikan exclaimed in horror.

"Let's go after it," Ryou said, throwing the guns away. There were out of bullets and completely useless against the wolf anyway. "Come on, you—" He then noticed a man standing in the dark corner of the room holding some kind of gun in his hand. The man had it pointed at Natsume. "Hyuuga, watch out!" He ran in front of Hyuuga just in time to block the laser from the gun. The laser hit his heart and caused him to cough out blood. After that, he fell to the floor like a log.

Kyo was aghast at what just happened. "Ryou!" he shouted.

Natsume set his furious crimson eyes on the man responsible and saw him grinning maliciously. "You scum, show yourself!" he said, hauling fire towards him. Before it could even reach him, the man vanished into thin air. "He's gone…"

"Hibiki-kun! Hibiki-kun!" Mikan was frantic. Ryou was responding to her at all. He was lying there, motionlessly on the floor. On the other hand, her senior had only lost consciousness. "Open your eyes, Hibiki-kun!"

With trembling hands, Kyo lifted Ryou's head up. "Ryou! Ryou! Wake up, Ryou!" he shouted. "You're not dead. Come on, don't do this to me!" He bit his lip to prevent himself from crying.

Slowly, Ryou opened his eyes and flicked Kyo's temple. "Dammit, you're so loud…" His voice was quite feeble. "You know, you're always..." He coughed out more blood, staining not only his clothes but also Kyo's. His could feel his heartbeat dawdling and at this point, he knew what was going to happen to him.

"Tell me what's wrong with you," Kyo demanded. "What was that laser? What did it do to you?"

Ryou's heart sank deeper as he remembered one of the AAO scientists talking about the laser gun. "That gun is used to inflict internal injuries upon the victim," he explained, drawing a deep breath. "Since the laser hit my heart, I only have a few more minutes to spare before I—"

"This isn't the time to be fooling around, Ryou," Kyo said, gritting his teeth. "Tell me you're going to be fine!"

"Kyo, you were always a good friend to me," Ryou said as tears formed in his hazel eyes. "When I first met you, I thought you were only some arrogant genius-kid. But I was wrong. You're a great person, Kyo. Without you, I would still be alone by now. I'm really lucky to have met you and your sister too—even though she's a pain." He started to cough out blood again.

"You idiot! Stop talking already! It's not doing you any good." Kyo carefully laid his head on the floor and stood up. "You're not going to die, got it? I'm going back to the infirmary. I'm sure there's a medicine there to help you. Wait for me, Ryou!" After that, he took off in a hurry.

Ryou let out a slight chuckle before he coughed again. "He's pretty stubborn," he said, as Natsume knelt down beside him. He looked up at Natsume and shrugged. "I don't know why I saved you. I guess it's my nature to be nice, perhaps? Well, I'm still relieved that you're okay."

Natsume didn't know what to say at that moment. He was grateful for his act of courage, but he also felt guilty. It was supposed to be him that was dying—not Ryou. He and Ryou had never been in good terms ever since he became the leader of Mikan's fan club. He never liked Ryou for his arrogance and the tendency to be annoying. But he had to admit that he was a good guy. Ryou was extremely loyal to Mikan and he would never to anything to hurt her. "Hibiki…" He put out his hand. "I'm not used to saying this but thanks…"

"Wow… The infamous Black Cat is actually thanking me," Ryou said, raising a brow. "I wish Kyo was here to hear this." He shook hands with Natsume before he turned his head at Mikan. His heart almost broke into millions of pieces when he saw the tears in her eyes. She was crying for him. "Mikan-sama…" He raised his hand forward, reaching out to the brunette.

She held his hand and placed it against her cheek. "Hibiki-kun, please don't die…" she said. "Please don't leave us."

"I wish I could stay, but it's really my time," Ryou said. "I'm sorry, Mikan-sama."

"Hibiki-kun…"

"As your fan, I feel very honored right now," he said, smiling cheerfully. "Mikan-sama, please do smile for me. I want to see your lovely smile before I go. Your smile always makes me happy." He was coughing more violently than before. The amount of blood he spitted out was terrible.

How could she smile when he was suffering so much? It was too sad for her. "Hibiki-kun...I…" Ryou placed a finger on her lips and shook his head. He then told her again to smile for him. "Hibiki-kun…" she muttered his name one more time and finally smiled at him.

"You look more beautiful with a smile, Mikan-sama," he said, wiping the tears away with his finger. "Thanks…a lot… I…hope you…can grant me…one more…favor…" His breathing was getting heavier and his vision was blurring.

"What is it, Hibiki-kun?" she asked. Her heart was pounding in fear. She felt like breaking any second, but she willed herself to be strong. She can't let Ryou see her pained expression.

Kyo was coming back from the infirmary, bringing a first-aid kit and some healing stones. He was confident that he'll be able to save Ryou with those things. As Mikan and the others came into view, he waved the kit high and said, "I'm back! Sorry if it took a while. I didn't know what to bring." He knelt down beside Natsume and placed the kit down. "Ryou, you're going to feel all better once I'm done with you." He took a healing stone out of the kit and looked at his best friend. To his utter surprise, Ryou's eyes were closed.

"I'm sorry, Kyo-kun…" Mikan said, averting her eyes away from him. "I'm sorry… There was nothing I could do…"

"Eh? What are you talking about, Mikan-sama? Ryou is still alive. I told him to wait for me." Kyo shook Ryou carefully. "Hey, idiot, wake up. You can't sleep at a time like this." He slapped his face gently and called out his name several times.

Mikan buried her face into her palms as she started crying. "Kyo-kun, Hibiki-kun is dead," she said, trembling miserably. "He's dead. I'm so sorry, Kyo-kun."

Kyo kept shaking Ryou. He refused to give up on his best friend. "Ryou likes to fool around. I'm sure he's just playing dead." As he let out a laugh, tears have started falling from his eyes. "Come on, Ryou… Joke's over. Wake up now…This isn't funny anymore…"

"You're only hurting yourself more," Natsume finally spoke but in his usual tone of voice. "Stop it already."

The guy did stop, but his tears kept flowing out. "Ryou…" His whole body trembled. He shut his eyes closed and bit his lip until he could taste blood. "I can't believe this… Ryou… Ryou… RYOU!!!"

_To be continued…_

_

* * *

_JC: Phew… I'm tired again. Okay, this is my attempt in making a death scene. I'm so not good at this. It was kinda tough killing off your own character. I really liked Ryou, although I favor Kyo more. Expect a long chapter and a romantic moment between Natsume and Mikan. Please review. No flaming.


	47. Behind the Scarlet Eyes

JC: Hibiki Ryou has died. I'm so sad. I really didn't want to kill him, but I just felt that it would add more depth to the drama here. You guys are probably wondering about the favor Ryou asked from Mikan. It's not going to be revealed yet. Aya's story will be one of the focuses of this chapter. We're going to have sweet moments between Natsume and Mikan.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 47: Behind the Scarlet Eyes

Harada Misaki and Ibaragi Nobara were five feet outside the main entrance of the AAO headquarters as Sora flew over their heads. They were exhausted, with wounds and bruises everywhere on their body. Their battle with Aya lasted long. However, they didn't manage to defeat Aya. She was simply too difficult to handle. Aya possessed unbelievable strength within her. Truth to be known, they survived the battle with the help of Sora. Its Nullifying abilities were very useful. It was like having Mikan fight by their side. They didn't know where Aya went after she got a call from the leader of the AAO. They considered themselves lucky that Aya didn't finish them before she took off.

The red-haired Doppelganger moved to the door, opened it with a kick, and peered in. Several men were down on the floor and blood was everywhere. _What happened here? s_he thought, and stepped inside. As she did so, Nobara and Sora went inside as well. She saw Kawashima Kyo on the other side of the room. He was looking sadly at a guy lying on the floor. She and Nobara approached him cautiously, and before Misaki could even ask Kyo, her eyes caught sight of the unconscious Tsubasa lying beside Hibiki Ryou. "Tsubasa!" she exclaimed, going over to him. "He's hurt pretty badly, but he's still breathing."

"Um… Excuse me, Kawashima-kun… What exactly happened here?" Nobara asked. She received no reply. "Kawashima-kun…?" She noticed the sad look in his heterochromatic eyes and wondered what was wrong. She shifted her eyes to Ryou. Her experiences and training in the Dangerous Ability Class have taught her how to distinguish a dead person. To her dismay, the Ryou that was lying on the floor was already dead. She clamped her mouth with two hands and apologized to Kyo.

Misaki looked up at Nobara and asked, "Why are you apologizing to him?"

Hesitantly, Nobara knelt down beside Ryou and closed her eyes. "Harada-san, Hibiki-kun is no longer with us," she said. Opening her eyes, she started crying. "H-He's gone…"

Misaki's eyes grew wide in surprise. "That can't be…" She glanced down at Ryou and then at Kyo. Judging from his face, she could tell that he cried a lot. "Kawashima… I'm sorry…" was all she could say to him.

Without saying a word, Kyo stood up and walked over to the dead bodies of the AAO members. He checked their clothes and found five Warp Alice stones. "Harada-san, you have to take Andou-senpai back to the academy. His wound is serious. You and the Ice Princess are also injured. You guys should get treated soon." He walked back to them and gave the girls two stones each. "Those stones will take you back to the academy."

"Wait a second, Kawashima. How about Mikan and Natsume-kun? Where are they?" Misaki couldn't bear going back to the academy without them.

"They were here a while ago," Kyo replied in a flat tone. His eyes remained apathetic. "But now they're gone. They went after the AAO leader and to save Nogi. Mikan-sama also has to get her Alices back."

Nobara clasped the stones against her chest. "I don't want to go back yet. I want to help Mikan-chan." She tried to stand up, but the pain from her wounds caused her to drop down again.

Kyo sighed. "You two are not fit to fight anymore," he said. "You don't have to worry about Mikan-sama and Hyuuga. They'll be fine as long as they're together."

"How about you, Kawashima?" Misaki asked. "Aren't you coming with us? Don't tell me you're planning to stay and fight. It's dangerous here, especially with Aya around. Your sister fought with her and barely escaped. But she's safe now." She understood the crisis of the situation and knew that it was only right for them to return to the academy.

"I'm staying…" he replied shortly as his eyes grew serious. "But it's not because I want to take revenge. I'm staying because I want to help Mikan-sama. Ryou and I made a promise together to protect Mikan-sama. If you see Nonoko and my sister, please tell them that I'm going to be a little late."

Misaki's lips curved into a smile. It was relief to know that Kyo wasn't drowned in vengeance. He was mature enough to control his emotions. But she could still sense the sadness in his heart. "Take care of yourself, Kawashima," she said. "A lot of people are expecting you back at the academy. Live on for their sake and for Hibiki Ryou's sake."

Kyo bowed his head at Misaki as a sign of gratitude and respect. "I will… Thanks…" He straightened up and spun around on his heels. "I don't want to leave Ryou's body in a place like this, so I'm entrusting him to you, Ice Princess. I apologize for troubling you with this. I'll be sure to make it up to you." After saying that, he ran off.

* * *

The lovers were silent. They had been walking aimlessly through the empty hallways, looking for their friend, and not one of them dared to say anything to each other—even though they've finally been reunited. It was awkward. There was one thing that was bothering their minds the most. It wasn't about the dangerous situation they were in. It wasn't about the AAO leader's obsession with power.

His footsteps were not hurried, but she heard every single one clearly behind her. His body was in top shape again because she healed him with an Alice Stone when they stopped by the infirmary. She swung around to look at him. His expression was grim, but there was an angry desire in his crimson eyes. He came over to her, and standing close, reached out to touch her face. With his hands on either side of her face he brought her close to him, sliding his thumbs over her cheeks and into the hollows beneath her ears.

She remembered her love making with Ruka and closed her eyes against the horrible thought. She still hadn't told him about it. She was afraid of his reaction. She sensed his hands moving to her shoulders, and nonchalantly he ordered, "Don't close your eyes…" With that, she opened them again and looked at him. "Did you and Ruka really…" There was hesitation in his voice.

"Natsume…" She turned her gaze away, not having the courage to face him. "Ruka-pyon and I—"

"Did you really make love with him willingly?" Natsume's voice grew deeper and colder. Mikan refused to speak up, and he got irritated. Digging his nails into her skin, he uttered, "Answer me, Mikan! Did you really do it with him? Say something!"

So he had been told by Ruka about that. "I supposed I should've told you about this when we saw each other through the mirror," she said bitterly. "Yes, I did it with Ruka-pyon."

Abruptly he released her, his face hard, eyes glittering furiously. "Then what he said was true…" he said. "I can't believe you. You let another guy touch you. Didn't I tell you that you only belong to me?!" His jaw tightened. He wasn't thinking straight anymore. His heart was burning with jealousy. He had always been possessive of Mikan, so he couldn't accept the fact that she did it with his friend, out of all people.

"It's not like I had a choice!" she almost shouted at him. "Our friends were threatened…and I was drugged… The leader of this organization injected a drug containing aphrodisiac into my body. On the other hand, Ruka-pyon's obsession for me was manipulated. We had no control over the situation. We didn't know what we were doing. It wasn't our fault. It wasn't… And still, I feel so guilty… I feel like I've betrayed you, Natsume." Tears began to stream down her cheeks. Her body was trembling. She saw him clench his hands and flinched. But when she turned instinctively away, he grabbed her wrist and brought her round roughly to face him again.

His face looked taut and a little pale as he said, "You haven't betrayed me, Mikan. I can still see that your feelings still belong to me. I guess I overacted. It's just that I can't help getting angry about it. Ruka also provoked me and I almost killed him. I knew that he was only being controlled, yet I wanted to see him suffer. I should've known better. I should've known that Ruka will never take advantage of you—even though he's in love with you." There was pain in his crimson eyes.

Gradually the stiffness of her body melted against him, and it came to her that he was silently asking for forgiveness. Fear and bitterness ebbed away, she made a slight movement that brought her soft form closer into his, and then she moved her hands to his shoulders and then his neck. She looked at him lovingly, until he lowered his mouth to hers, touching it tentatively.

A faint glimmering of a grim smile appeared on Natsume's face as they broke the kiss. "You know what? I want to take you to bed right now and erased all traces of Ruka from your body." He traced small kisses on her face before he took her lips, pulling them apart with his to allow exploration of her mouth.

When he released her lips and began nibbling at her earlobe, while his hands caressed her back and thighs, Mikan murmured, "Natsume, you're really a pervert." She then pinched his cheek hard, pulling his face away from hers. "Let's do it after everything's done here, okay?"

"I'm not going easy on you," he said, running his hand from her face to her breast. "I hope your body's prepared for it."

Mikan flushed in a deep shade of red. "Stop being a pervert, idiot!" She lightly punched his chest and spun around on her heels. "Come on… We still have to save Ruka-pyon."

"I know…" His expression became as cold as ice. "And I'm going to make the AAO bastard pay for what he did to you and Ruka." He clenched his hands tight.

* * *

"You called for me, leader?" Aya promptly said as she stepped into the big empty room. The Anti-Alice Organization leader was standing right across the room and there was someone beside him lying unconsciously on the floor. "Nogi-san…? Wait a sec… What happened to him?" She ran towards the blonde boy and held him in her arms.

"He was beaten up pretty badly by Hyuuga Natsume," Mihara said, adjusting his glasses. "Nogi was winning the fight until Hyuuga snapped. I guess provoking the Black Cat wasn't a smart move."

Aya looked up at her leader. "What did Nogi-san do to make Hyuuga so angry?" she asked him. "I know Hyuuga is a big jerk, but he'll never do anything to hurt Nogi-san like this. They are the best of friends."

Mihara sighed and folded his arms in front of his chest. "Well, it was love that drove Hyuuga close to insanity," he explained coolly. "Nogi simply made him jealous by telling Hyuuga that he made love with Sakura Mikan. Hyuuga couldn't believe it at first, but Nogi was able to convince him it was the truth."

Scarlet eyes grew wide in a flash. "Huh? Nogi-san and Mikan-chan made love? How can this be? I specifically warned him not to touch her. Besides, he's not the kind of guy who would do that sort of thing. He loves Mikan-chan too much to even think of hurting her." She glanced at Ruka for a while before she settled him carefully on the floor. As she stood up, she threw a hard glare at the leader. "And Mikan-chan would've not let herself be taken so easily."

"Why are you looking at me like that, Aya?" he calmly asked. "Are you implying I had something to do with them?"

"I don't want to doubt you," she said. "But I have a strange feeling about you right now, leader."

"Is that so? Rest assured, Aya…" He placed a hand on her head and smiled at her like a father would. "They acted on their own. I didn't do anything to them."

"If that's the case, then I—"

"I'm sorry, Aya… But I just lied to you…" His smile turned wicked in a second as he gripped her neck. "Your Copy Alice will be mine!" he said, activating the Stealing-Alice.

Heart thumping, she tried to break free from his grasp. She attempted to use her Alices several times to blow him away but nothing happened. Quickly sizing up the situation, she figured Mihara had taken away Mikan's Alices. "H-How…dare you…?!" she managed to say as she glared at him furiously. "Y-You…stole… Mikan-chan's Alices…" She was in big trouble. A strong Alice such as herself can never stand a chance against the power of Nullification and Stealing combined.

Once he was done sucking her Copy Alice from her body he shoved her away, knocking her off balance and to the floor. "Finally… I have three of the most powerful Alices in the world!" He laughed maniacally. "Stealing, Nullification and the Copy Alice…Ahh… With these Alices, I can easily defeat the High School Principal in order to obtain his Alice of Longevity."

Panting hard, Aya levered herself to a kneeling position. Her hair had turned darker, but her scarlet eyes remained the same. "Leader…Why? Why are you doing this? Am I not your ally?" The throbbing pain in her chest was getting worse by the minute, making it harder for her to talk. "I…I thought…I was…your…"

Mihara maliciously smiled at her. "You're nothing but a tool to me, Aya," he said, grabbing a handful of her hair. "I only took you in because I was merely interested in your Copy Alice. Since I have no more use for you, I should leave you here to die."

Coughing out blood viciously, Aya lowered her eyes to the floor. "I don't believe this…I looked up to you as a father and now…" Tears have formed in her scarlet eyes. "How could you—" She was cut off by the intense pain in her heart. She coughed out several times before she clutched her chest tightly.

"Disgusting…" Mihara said, pushing her head to the floor. "You really are weak without the Copy Alice. It's too bad the Alice of Manipulation is slowly devouring you. I guess you'll be joining your dead parents and that foolish Reo shortly." He noticed the shocked expression on her face and only widened his gin. He stood up and kicked her in her solar plexus, causing her to spit out blood. The sight of her pained expression thrilled him even more. He kicked her more and when he was satisfied, he spun on his heels and left the room.

Already feeling like a dead person, Aya curled up like a ball and clasped her hands against her chest. "Otou-san…Okaa-san…Ani-sama…" she murmured as her memories of her parents and her beloved Reo flashed through her mind. "I'm scared…What should I do now? Am I just going to die like this?" She possessed the fourth-shaped Alice and was in a critical condition. She can't live without the Copy Alice. She had to get it back somehow. But she couldn't even sit up. The pain was too much for her to bear.

"Sugita…" a voice called her name softly. Lying a few feet away from her was Ruka and she was quite pleased to see him awake. "Did he steal your Alice…?" he feebly asked.

"I guess…we were all betrayed…" Aya said, a small grim smile etching her lips. "And you…you're back to your normal self… I no longer have the strength to maintain my control over you."

Ruka slowly got back to his feet. "I should be mad at you right now…" he said, walking towards the girl. "You did a lot of horrible things to me and to my friends… But seeing you in this condition… I can't stand it…" He dropped to his knees as he reached out for her hand. His sapphire blue eyes glimmered in kindness and sincerity.

"Nogi-san, you're really a nice person," Aya said, entwining her fingers with his, "just like Mikan-chan…" A number of coughs made her weaker and more miserable. She knew time was running out for her. "I wish I could see Mikan-chan one last time. I want to apologize… Because of me, her Alices were stolen. And you two even..."

"It's true I made love with Sakura…" Ruka said, brushing her hair away from her eyes. "But it's not your fault why we did it. The leader was the one who drugged Sakura. Honestly, you're also a victim here. He has been using you for years."

Gathering up the last bit of her strength, she forced herself to get up and hug him. "Now I know what it feels like to be manipulated and used…" she muttered, burying her face into his chest. "Nogi-san, I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I know you won't forgive me but still—" She vomited blood on his shirt and clamped her mouth, as tears continued to stream down her face.

"Sugita…" He hugged her tighter than before. "Hang in there…"

"Ruka-pyon!" the high-pitched voice made him stunned. Turning his head to the direction of the voice, his eyes widened as he saw Mikan and Natsume standing across the other side of the room. "It's really you…"

"Sakura…" muttered Ruka.

Aya raised her head and looked at the brunette. "So…Mikan-chan's here… I'm glad…" Placing a hand on the floor, she focused a little of what's left in her into her hand and unleashed a stream of energy around the room. "Before I die I have to show you something, Mikan-chan…It's about the time we met…" She winced in pain, but she managed to keep her Alice running.

Bewildered by the aura running through the room, Mikan went closer to Natsume and hugged his arm. "What's going on?" she asked as she noticed the area changing. "Aya, what are you doing?" At this point, she noticed Aya's dark hair. _Her hair is supposed to be silver, right? But her eyes are still the same. _

"This room is generated by an Illusion Alice and Time Manipulation Alice," Ruka explained, as the surroundings were getting brighter. "The organization uses this room to view into the person's past and future. It can create illusions of things you don't want to see. Right now, we're going on a trip down memory lane—back to the time when Sugita met you, Sakura…"

Mikan gasped at what she just heard. "Su...Sugita?" she muttered, taking a step forward. "Sugita? That name… It can't be… Don't tell me Aya is actually—" She was interrupted by a blinding white light. And when she opened her eyes again, she realized that she was no longer in the AAO headquarters. She was in a park, the same park back in her neighborhood, and wondered why she was there.

Scanning the place, she saw a little dark-haired girl. She was crying. She was all alone in the park, sitting under a tree, and her face was buried in her palms. She was lonely and afraid. "She seems familiar to me…"

Hugging her knees, the little girl looked up at the sky with her scarlet-red eyes as tears kept streaming down her face. A strong wind blew swiftly, whipping her short brown hair about. Dark clouds were looming over her and soon rain begun to fall. It seemed like the heavens were crying with her. The tree was not enough to shield her from the rain and she found herself getting soaked. The little girl felt more miserable than before and only cried louder.

"Those eyes… Don't tell me she's Aya?" she murmured, clamping her mouth in surprise. "So, this is Aya's past…"

Just then, she saw a brunette girl with two pigtails walking towards the dark-haired girl. Mikan couldn't believe her eyes. The brunette was her. She was part of Aya's past. But how come she doesn't remember any of this?

"_We've been friends before, Mikan-chan," Aya said as she felt the psychic force getting weaker. All she had to do was to keep on talking to Mikan until she'll let her guard down. "I'm sure you don't remember it. Well, how can you? You got into an accident for trying to save me and that accident caused you your memories of me." _

Then Aya was telling her the truth. They were friends in the past. Somehow, Mikan found it hard to swallow like a pill. As she focused her attention back at the scene before her, she saw her little self shielding Aya from rain with her umbrella.

"You must have a reason for being this sad," the pigtailed girl said, smiling like an angel, as she took a seat beside the crying girl. "But it's more painful to cry if you're all alone, so I'll stay here with you. Let all of your feelings out until you feel better, okay?"

While Mikan was in Aya's childhood memories, Ruka was in another part of her memories. It was about her life before she came to live in Mikan's hometown. Much to his utter surprise, he found out Aya's mother used to be a maid serving at the Nogi mansion. His beautiful yet loving mother was considerably kind to Aya's mother and they seemed to be close, as he has noticed from the way the two interacted with one another. And when the scene shifted to his old room, he saw the three-year old version of himself playing with Mrs. Sugita. It was another shocking discovery for him.

The scene changed again and this time he saw Mrs. Sugita saying goodbye to Mrs. Nogi and his young self. "Thank you for your kindness, my lady," Mrs. Sugita said, bowing her head to show respect. "I will never forget you." After exchanging goodbyes, Mrs. Sugita picked up her luggage and walked away.

And then he heard her mother saying something about Aya's mother. "You know what? She has a daughter about your age. But she hasn't seen her for four months because she came here to work. Now that her husband has a job, she can go back to being a mother again." The blonde woman smiled down at her cute little son. "But if she ever needs my help again, I'll gladly take her in."

Ruka's eyes softened. "I see… Now I understand what Sugita meant by repaying a debt…" It was no wonder she treated him different from the other minions. "It's because my mother helped her mother before."

* * *

Snapping his eyes open, Natsume found himself standing inside Mikan's Special Star room. He remembered Ruka's explanation about the room powered by Illusion and Time Manipulation Alice and realized that everything around him wasn't real. As he crossed the room and looked at the night sky through the transparent glass doors of the balcony, someone knocked on the door. It was probably him visiting the room like he always does.

Mikan came out of the bathroom, clad in a silky white robe that only reached up to the thigh. Natsume's lips curved into a small smile as he saw the excitement in Mikan's face. She flew to the door to open it. Seeing the tall, dark shadow, she moved forward, ready to greet the person with an embrace, but she stopped as the person stepped inside her room and pushed the door behind him.

Surprise kept her still for a moment. "Umm… Who are you?" she asked. The person was definitely not her boyfriend. He had spiky maroon hair and sharp golden eyes. He was rather handsome and looked cool while dressed in a simple black shirt and jeans with silver accessories. "I think I saw you before, but I'm not sure."

"I'm from the high school department, Mikan-sama," the guy said. "I'm also a member of your fan club. I came here to spend some time with you."

Natsume remembered this scene. Things were going to get hectic once Mikan decides to refuse his offer. But he wasn't worried. He knew he'll come barging in to rescue her. Following that event, the perverted fan boy was punished and then got transferred to another Alice Academy.

"Oh, but I was about to hit the hay," she said. "But I guess I could spare a few minutes. I'm quite flattered that you want to spend time with me." She sat down on the bed, exposing her already bare legs more to his eyes. She had forgotten the fact she was almost close to naked and her cleavage was showing.

"I heard your boyfriend is away on a mission," he said, looking at her with malicious intention. "What time do you think he'll be back?"

Mikan glanced at the clock and sighed. "I'm not sure. His mission is not dangerous, so I'm not worried. A simple reconnaissance mission won't hurt you." She let out a light chuckle. She then recalled Natsume's warning and bolted up from the bed. "Umm… I'm sorry but you have to leave. Natsume told me not to let in guys in this room, especially at night. He'll scold me if he catches you here." And she definitely didn't want to hear his sermons.

"My princess, this is an opportunity too good to be missed. I love you, Mikan-sama, and I want you. And I'll make sure you'll want me too." He reached a hand towards her and she backed away from him.

"What do you mean by that?!" she said. "What are you planning to do?"

"Don't be shy," he said, and followed her, until she found herself against the wall.

"Please leave now," she said, swallowing hard.

"I won't leave." His hand reached out again, and as she swiftly evaded it he lunged for her, coming up against the wall. "I'll make you my woman, Sakura Mikan." His eyes flared with lust, and then he lunged at her and grabbed her arm, and her hair, twisting her wrist up behind her back.

Mikan let out a scream. "Let go of me!" She struggled to break free. "Let go!"

He had a cruel amusement in his gold eyes. "I'm going to enjoy this." He threw her to the bed and went on top of her. He gazed down on her and licked his lips. "I'm going to taste you completely." He started kissing her neck to her shoulders.

Natsume, who was watching the whole scene from the corner, constantly reminded himself it was all an illusion, a scene from the past. It will be pointless to lose his cool. Still, he felt an overwhelming urge to murder the guy for harassing Mikan like that. But he knew it was almost time for his self to debut. As the guy was about to kiss Mikan on the lips, the door flew open, and Natsume smirked.

Mikan's first emotion was relief, and joy at seeing Natsume. Then her heart thudded with trepidation as she saw the set, white fury on his face and realized what he must be thinking.

The guy said accusingly, turning to her, "I thought he was away on a mission!" His hands fell away as he jumped off the bed, and she ran towards Natsume immediately. "Dammit…" He turned around to escape through the balcony. However, Natsume stopped him with his fire.

"You don't expect me to let you get away for what you did, do you?" Natsume's voice was cold and grim.

"Wait a minute, Hyuuga," the guy said, almost freaking out at the sight of Natsume's crimson eyes. "Your girl is the one who invited me in. She said she wanted to have fun with me. She wanted me to sleep with her because she felt lonely. I did try to refuse. But it's difficult to resist such a cute girl like Mikan-sama.

Mikan shook her head violently. "Stop saying nonsense!" she cried. "Natsume, he's lying. He was the one who was taking advantage of me." Natsume turned to her, his eyes narrow and assessing, and she went on, "He tried to r-rape me tonight. I'm telling you the truth, Natsume!"

"Rape?!" The guy sounded outraged. "Now, wait a minute, Mikan-sama, that's a very serious charge."

Natsume's eyes glittered in rage as they swung to the guy. "Are you saying she's a liar?" he asked, demanding his reply.

"I would never rape her," he said calmly. "I admire Mikan-sama so much and I res—"

In a flash, Natsume punched the guy on the face, sending him towards the floor. "You're the lying bastard here," he said, lifting the guy by the collar. "Mikan is never good at lying. Plus, I've seen a lot of you stupid fan boys trying to take advantage of her all the time. You guys annoy the hell out of me." He knee-kicked him in the stomach and punched him again. After that, he threw him to the floor and pinned his head down with one foot. Natsume was real angry at him. His obsession for Mikan was taking over his mind again.

Suddenly, the scenery changed and Natsume was confronted by the silver-haired Aya. "Hyuuga Natsume…" she muttered his name. "Your love for Mikan-chan is strong, but sometimes it drives you out of control." She crossed her arms in front of her chest and narrowed her scarlet eyes at her.

Yes, he admitted to himself that he gets overprotective when it comes to Mikan, but he considered it to be normal. "I'm not the only one who's obsessed with Mikan. You're so fond of her that you kidnapped her and forced her to join the organization. Mikan hates the organization more than anything else."

She walked up to him and gripped his collar. "I'm perfectly aware of that, Hyuuga," she roughly said, shoving him away. "But I only did that to make my true self happy. Aya desired nothing more than to be with Mikan-chan. When she became an AAO member, she strived hard in order to become stronger so she'll be capable in protecting Mikan-chan."

Was she referring to herself as a third-person? And Natsume wondered what she meant about her true self. Also, he found it hard to believe that the cold-hearted Aya had a harmless goal in life. But he was not going to change his opinion about her. "Instead of protecting her, you managed to endanger her life," he said bluntly. "If you really care about Mikan, then you should think about her happiness first."

"Aya had always thought about her happiness. I was the stubborn and reckless one." She placed a hand over her face as she closed her eyes. "The real Aya is kind and gentle, while I'm the complete opposite of her. I'm merely her other self, who was born inside her during her training days. She used to be bullied a lot by her fellow AAO agents when she was still new. She kept on crying almost everyday and wishing to see Mikan-chan again. When she couldn't take the bullying anymore, her Alice of Manipulation created a split personality as a defense mechanism. That split personality is me."

_To be continued…  


* * *

_JC: I've gotta stop there. The next chapter will be the final episode of the AAO arc. After that, everything will be back to normal again. But things aren't going to be the same for Kyo who lost his best friend. The AAO leader is going to get his butt kicked in the next chapter. Evil won't succeed. I'm sure you're all expecting that. Please don't forget to review this chapter. Your reviews are so awesome. No flaming, understand?


	48. The Memory Lingers

JC: Chapter 48 is ready! This chapter is pretty rushed actually. I had to finish this in only a few hours because of my cheering practice sessions. Anyway, I'm glad that my story is nearing to an end. I won't make it pass 50, okay? It's kinda tiring to write such a long story. When I first wrote this, I didn't think it would pass 20. Oh well… We'll see if Aya is going to survive or not here. Please read on.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 48: The Memory Lingers

"Aya-chan, wake up!" A familiar cheery voice came from outside. The young Sugita Aya slowly opened her scarlet eyes. "Aya-chan, rise and shine! C'mon, let's play!" The voice brought a smile upon her face. She hopped out of bed, walked across the room to draw the curtains. Peering through the window, she saw her favorite brunette friend and waved a hand at her.

When her parents died, she thought it was the end of the world for her. She thought she was going to be alone forever. However, an extremely bright and lively girl walked up to her two days ago and comforted her. Since then, they've been the best of friends. Aya had always felt an overwhelming happiness whenever she was with her.

"I've just woken up, Mikan-chan," Aya said. "Wait there and I'll open the door for you." With that, she dashed out of her room, descended the stairs, and almost lunged towards the door. When she opened the door, Mikan surprised her with a hug attack.

"What took you so long, Aya-chan?" Mikan said, pulling away to face her. "And didn't I tell you to wake up early today so we could go on a picnic? Jii-chan has already reserved a good spot for us at the park and I made cookies. I know you love them, right?"

Aya nodded her head as she smiled. Mikan's cookies were the best she'd ever tasted, she thought silently. "I'm sorry for oversleeping. I guess I was a bit tired from playing yesterday. I wished I had your energy, Mikan-chan."

Taking Aya's hands into hers, Mikan led Aya outside. "I'm sure you won't feel tired after breathing some fresh air," she said, raising her arms up high, as she drew a deep breath. "The morning air is always relaxing. C'mon, Aya-chan, let's do breathing exercises. It's fun!"

Anything Mikan does was always fun to Aya. Mikan was a very interesting girl to her and she felt lucky to be her best friend. Eagerly, she took a deep breath and exhaled. "Hmm… Mikan-chan, you're right. It is relaxing." She inhaled and exhaled once again. "Maybe I should do this every morning from now on."

Mikan nodded her head in agreement. "Breathing exercises are also good for the lungs. Jii-chan told me that."

"Speaking of your jii-chan, I better get ready for the picnic," Aya said. "I hope you won't mind waiting a little bit."

"I won't mind," Mikan replied. "Besides, I know it won't take you hours to change."

Aya hurried back inside the house and into her bedroom. "A picnic with Mikan-chan…" she muttered to herself, twirling around. "I'm sure it'll be wonderful. Come to think of it, it's going to be my first time going on a picnic. My parents never took me outside because I was sickly before." She walked over to her study table and looked at the picture of her parents. Silently, she thanked her parents for giving her the Alice to overcome her sickness and told them she'll keep on living for them.

After taking a short shower, she came out of the bathroom and dressed into a white blouse with a flower design and a pink mini-skirt. She then tied her hair into two low braids and slipped into a pair of white sandals. "There, I'm all set," she said excitedly. She turned to face her parents and smiled. "I'll be going now, Otou-san, Okaa-san… I promise to be back home before dark."

Aya spent the whole day with Mikan and her grandfather. Not once did she ever felt tired or bored because the Sakura family made sure she was happy all the time. After having a good meal at the park, she and Mikan played at the playground. Mikan even introduced some games Aya never played before. And when she came home with them, Mikan's grandfather told them so many fascinating stories. Aya really felt like she was part of their family and Mikan was her very own sister. She wondered if she could be adopted into the Sakura family. She had no other relatives or guardians, and she was living alone at home. But she couldn't muster up the courage to ask Mikan or her grandfather about it. She also thought of not wanting to be a burden to them.

It was going to get dark soon. Knowing how dangerous it was to go home late, Aya decided to bid farewell to Mikan and thanked her for giving her such a wonderful time. As she was about to leave, she was startled to hear Mikan asking her grandfather for permission to sleep over at her house. Aya's heart skipped a beat as she heard the old man saying yes.

"I can sleep over!" Mikan cheered, hugging Aya. "We're going to have a slumber party, Aya-chan!"

A smile gracing her lips, Aya hugged the brunette back. "I'm going to have a slumber party with Mikan-chan," she muttered. "I feel so excited." Because it was going to be her first slumber party ever.

Once the two girls finished dinner and set up their sleeping bags at the living room, they entered the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around their petite bodies. The bathroom was big enough for them to run around. There was a Jacuzzi and a hot shower. Mikan was astounded to see such an extravagant bathroom inside a simple two-storey house. Aya explained to her that because of her weak body, she had to be given aroma therapy and spa treatment on occasional basis. Mikan didn't ask anymore questions and pulled Aya into the Jacuzzi. They bathed together, and then whey they finished they dressed into their pajamas.

"Aya-chan, don't you get scared staying here all by yourself?" Mikan asked as she grabbed a brush from the dresser.

"Well…I'm kinda used to being alone…" Her trembling voice could scarcely mask her true emotions. She settled herself on the seat in front of the dresser and faced the mirror. "How about you, Mikan-chan?"

Mikan started brushing Aya's hair when she answered, "I get scared a little bit… Jii-chan told me that a person can never live without others. He said that 'no man is an island'. I didn't understand it at first, but I kind of understand it now."

No man is an island. A person can never live without others. Aya understood those worlds completely. Without her parents, she might have never survived on her own. Without Mikan, she would have never been able to move on. As a person, she needed others in order to gain the strength to live. "Mikan-chan, you know what?" she asked, and Mikan paused to listen to what she has to say. "When my parents died, I became a lonely island. But when you came into my life, I became part of a continent again. Thank you so much."

Tilting her head in confusion, Mikan placed a finger on her cheek. "Um… You're welcome… But what you mean by becoming part of a continent?"

Aya could not suppress a giggle. "You'll understand it soon," she said. Her scarlet eyes twinkled in glee.

For the next few days, Aya and Mikan became inseparable. And after having a long talk with the old man Sakura, Mikan immediately informed Aya about the great news—the news about her being able to move in with the Sakura Family and become a family member as well. Aya was so happy that she cried tears of joy and hugged Mikan with all her might. Her wish of being part of Mikan's family has come true. She felt a little sad about leaving her home, but she knew her parents would like it if she stayed with the Sakura family. Her happiness lied within Mikan.

But on the day of her move, as the two girls were crossing the street, Aya accidentally dropped the keychain Mikan gave her as a welcoming present. As soon as Aya went to pick it up, a speeding car was heading right towards her. At that moment, Aya thought she was done for, but Mikan suddenly pushed her out of the way and got hit by the car instead. Aya landed roughly on the road, smashing the keychain with her weight in the process. Worriedly, she looked up only to see her best friend lying unconsciously on the road, heavily bleeding from her injuries. Aya clamped her mouth as she shook her head in dismay. "No… This can't be really…" She trembled. "Mi…Mikan-chan!!!" It didn't take long for tears to come out.

* * *

Aya paced back and forth in front of the operating room with a mixture of fear and guilt in her heart. She had been crying non-stop ever since she got to the hospital. It was supposed to be her inside the operating room right now, getting treated, not Mikan. If only she didn't go back to get the keychain, then Mikan would not have been hurt. If Mikan would die, she will never forgive herself.

An old man was rushing towards her, and she lowered her gaze to the floor, knowing he would be enraged to know what happened to his granddaughter. It was her fault why Mikan got hurt. Although she was afraid and hesitant, she still told the old man, in a trembling voice, about the accident and how she ended up being safe and unscratched. And when she was done telling her tale, she shut her eyes tight because she expected to get hit. However, the old man did nothing to hurt her. He simply placed a hand on her head and said it wasn't her fault.

Shocked and disturbed, Aya looked up at the old man with wide eyes. "But it is my fault…" She looked away and then said, "It is… Mikan-chan got hurt because she saved me. I was so stupid."

Trying to act as calm as possible, the old man smiled at her. "Mikan would save anyone in danger. She would do it without thinking twice. She's the kind of girl who values others before herself." He placed both hands on her shoulders and knelt down to her eye level. "It's not your fault why things have ended up like this. I don't think Mikan will like it if you keep blaming yourself."

Speechless, she bit her lower lip and clenched her hands. "Still… The accident could have been prevented if I didn't—"

"You can't tell when and where an accident may occur," he said. "These things just happen."

"You're right…But Mikan-chan's in there right now…" She turned to face the operating room and deeply sighed. "And the doctors are doing the best they can to save her life."

The old man was extremely worried as well. If possible, he would rush into the operating room and pressure the doctors to make sure they will save his precious granddaughter. But he managed to stay composed, although his hands were secretly trembling underneath his kimono.

Aya could hardly breathe when a doctor came out. She and the old man Sakura were so nervous to hear the results of the operation. They heaved the sigh of relief when the doctor told them that Mikan's life was saved. But the doctor was sad to tell them about the bad news. "Sakura-san, your granddaughter has suffered from severe head trauma," the doctor said, and Aya's eyes grew as wide as saucers. "Now she's in a coma."

The shock was evident in the old man's eyes. "Do you mean to tell me my granddaughter is in a deep sleep?" he asked, and the doctor nodded his head. "No… Doctor, isn't there any way to wake her up?"

The doctor adjusted his glasses. "Comas generally last a few days to a few weeks. But some have lasted as long as several years," he explained. "We can't be sure when she'll wake up, but she'll be in intensive care from this day on."

Emotionally weakened, the old man sat down and placed a hand over his face. "This can't be happening…" he muttered under his breath. His granddaughter's life was still at risk and there was nothing he could do. "Doctor, please take care of my granddaughter… Please... I don't want to lose her."

"Don't worry… I'll do whatever I can," the doctor assured him.

Feeling guiltier, Aya blindly ran off until she reached the stairs. She leaned herself against the wall and started weeping. "Mikan-chan…I'm so sorry…" she said, her voice cracking. "It's my fault. It's all my fault." She dropped down on her knees and buried her face in her palms.

All of a sudden, a man appeared at her side. He said, "Are you crying for your friend?"

Aya raised her head to look up at the man. He had slick black hair and menacing sharp eyes behind the glasses. "Who—who are you?" she asked, sniffing.

"As you can see," the man said, tugging his white lab coat, "I'm a doctor. Can I speak with you?"

"Um…Sure…" She wiped away the tears and stood up. She figured the doctor might tell her something more about Mikan's condition and she hoped it was a good one.

The doctor said, "It's possible your friend may never wake up again. Her injuries are very severe. If she does wake up, she might not remember you at all. A head injury usually causes amnesia."

The words were like a blow to her head. "Mikan-chan will never wake up again…?" was all she could say.

"I heard you were at the scene of the accident. Is that true?"

Aya grimly nodded her head. "I was the one who was supposed to get hit by the car," she said. "Mikan-chan pushed me away and got hit instead. She saved my life."

The man's lips curved into a sinister grin. "So, it's your fault why your friend is in a coma," he said.

Shutting her eyes tight, Aya trembled in shame. "Yes, it's my fault…" she murmured. "I'm not worthy to be Mikan-chan's friend anymore."

"That's because you're different from her. You're no ordinary girl, Sugita Aya."

Aya gasped. "What…? How did you know my name?" She took an involuntary step backward. "And what do you mean I'm different from her?"

"They say your parents died due to an accident. I've done a little research and found out that they were actually killed by an Alice." The man grabbed her wrist and gripped it tight. "They were killed by you."

"No… That's not true…" Aya turned her head away in fear. "I didn't kill Otou-san and Okaa-san. It was all an accident."

"Well, you could say it was an accident. After all, your Alice of Manipulation went berserk so suddenly. It took control over your parents, leading them to their deaths."

"I…I…" Her lips trembled. "I wasn't even aware…"

"A Dangerous Alice such as yourself would only bring misfortune to normal people," he said bluntly. "You don't belong here."

She shook her head violently. "I've already learned to control my Alice. It's not a threat anymore. Mikan-chan got into an accident because she pushed me away. It's different from what happened to my parents." She was getting frantic. Her heart was sinking lower and lower. "So…No matter what you say, I'll stay by Mikan-chan's side forever. I won't leave her."

"But what if she finds out about your Alice? Would she still treat you as a friend?" The man knelt down to her level, noticing her stunned expression. "You may not know this but an Alice is always shunned by others. The life of an Alice is never easy. An Alice will never truly belong in society."

"Mikan-chan would never do that!" she retorted. "She's my friend!"

"Hmm…" The man chuckled. "So, you're willing to stay here and bring more misfortune to your friend. How do know you've fully mastered your Alice? You're still a little girl and the Alice of Manipulation is a high-level Alice. If it ever goes out of control again, you might endanger the life of your friend."

Swallowing hard, she lowered her gaze to the floor. Although she said she learned to control her Alice, the truth was she was still afraid of it. The other day, when she went on a picnic with Mikan, she unintentionally used her Alice of Manipulation on a cat up a tree and let it fall on the ground. The cat died on the spot. She didn't tell Mikan about it in fear of being hated. "Am I destined to be alone again?" she muttered. "Do I only bring bad luck to those around me?"

The man hugged her. "If you stay here, then you'll definitely end up being alone again," he told her. "But I know a place where you can be happy—a place where you would truly belong."

"Really? A place for an Alice like me?"

"Yes… And you would be together with other Alices too. I'll take you there if you want."

"But I don't want to leave Mikan-chan."

"You can come back when you're stronger, when you're confident enough with your Alice. Right now, you're still unstable. Your Alice is too dangerous. For the sake of your friend, you have to distance yourself from her."

Aya cried harder. Although it was a tough decision to make, she knew the man was right. She had to learn to control her Alice and to learn to become stronger. It would be the best for her and for Mikan. "I'll go with you…" she said. " Please take me away and help me…"

"You made a wise choice, Sugita Aya…" he said with a wicked grin on his face.

* * *

"No, Aya-chan! Don't go with him!" Mikan yelled at the illusion present before her eyes. She finally remembered everything about Aya before the accident. Her coma only lasted for two weeks, but the head trauma made her forget all her wonderful moments with Aya.

"It wasn't a wise choice," a voice coming from behind Mikan said. Turning around, Mikan was surprised to see Aya. "I shouldn't have gone with him. I was such a fool."

Mikan noticed how weak she looked. It was like she would crumble any second. "You're also the Aya-chan I know from the academy, right?" she asked, and Aya nodded her head. "And you're also the silver-haired girl who caused a lot of problems for everyone."

There was no denying that fact. Aya looked down and sighed. "Before I left, I went to your room and said my goodbyes. I made a promise to you that I will surely come back. I did return after five years and learned that nobody in town recognizes me. Even your grandfather seemed to have forgotten about me. I thought they merely forgot because I've been away for so long. When I found out you were enrolled in Alice Academy, I wanted to study there as well. However, the leader hated that school. He told me it was like a prison and that the sole purpose of the organization is to eliminate the academy." She dropped on her knees and coughed violently. Mikan immediately rushed over to her. "He brainwashed me with his words. He made me hate the academy so much. That's why I wanted to get you out of there. And I've recently found out he was the one who erased the townspeople's memories of me." She coughed out blood and clutched her chest tightly.

"What's happening to you?" Mikan asked.

"Without the Copy Alice, I'm pretty much dead," Aya replied. "You see, my Alice of Manipulation slowly diminishes my life. I've been able to survive until now because of my Copy Alice. One of the copied Alice I had was the Regeneration Alice I copied from an acquaintance of my father. It was able to support my life. My father also gave me other Alices to copy like strength and speed." She coughed out blood once again.

Quick hot tears sprang to Mikan's amber eyes. "Aya-chan…" She squeezed her hand gently. "Hang in there! Don't die!"

Aya smiled tenderly as she started crying. The fact Mikan was still encouraging her to live made her very happy. "Mikan-chan…I'm so sorry for all the things I've done. I know you won't be able to forgive me." She closed her eyes as she remembered the good times she shared with Mikan. "Even so… I want you to know I still like you so much, because you're my very first friend! Mikan-chan is the most important person to me! Argh…" Her chest was throbbing in pain. She felt like she was going to explode.

Mikan was frantic over Aya. "Aya-chan, don't die on me!" she told her. "Now that I know the truth about you, I won't let you die. I like you too, Aya-chan. I really do." She hugged the scarlet-eyed girl so tight and cried on her shoulder.

"I'm so glad, Mikan-chan…" The pain in her heart increased. She vomited a lot of blood and tried to push herself away from Mikan. However, the brunette refused to let go of her. "My time is running out. I'm going to die."

"You're going to live!" Mikan shouted as she activated her Stealing Alice. She wasn't sure if she could steal all of Aya's Alice with only a small portion of her power, but she didn't want Aya to die. Aya was her friend. Despite all the sins she committed, Mikan couldn't force herself to hate Aya. After all, Aya was merely used by the organization. She was a victim too. In addition to that, Aya was still important in her heart.

* * *

"_And that concludes the tour around the academy," a blonde teacher told a dark-haired girl wearing the standard summer middle school uniform for girls. She was a new student in the academy and the teacher had just given her a grand tour around campus. "Now it's time for me to escort you back to the dormitory." The teacher gave off a very charming smile. _

_Bowing her head as a sign of gratitude, the new student said, "Thank you so much for your time, Narumi-sensei." As an undercover agent, she had to pretend to be a kind and sweet girl. "I think I'm really going to like it here." She seriously wanted to pull her tongue out for saying that. _

_As they reached the middle school dormitory, Aya saw a lot of boys lining up by the stairs. "Um… What's going on?" she asked. She didn't want to sound nosy, but curiosity got the best of her. "The boys seem to be waiting for someone to come down." _

"_They're waiting for their princess." Narumi ran a hand through his blonde locks. "Just wait and see, Sugita-san," he said. _

_Before Aya could wonder any longer, a middle school girl appeared on top of the stairs. Aya lifted her head to look at the girl. With soft and silky brown hair that reached up to her waist and innocent amber orbs, the girl looked like an angel. "She looks familiar…" She almost gasped loudly when she recognized the girl. "Mikan-chan…" she muttered under her breath. _

_The boys cheered and howled in admiration. They were all fans of the brunette girl. Aya got annoyed by their noise and wanted to shut them up with her Alice. Unfortunately, she has to stay calm and focused. She can't let herself be exposed carelessly. Drowning the boys' noise into the back of her mind, she set her eyes on the brunette and sighed dreamily. She couldn't believe she was seeing her friend again. She had to admit that Mikan has grown from a cute girl into a real beauty. Her admiration for Mikan increased by a hundred, she mused. _

_When Mikan reached the ground floor, the boys scuffled around her. "The boys are just crazy about Mikan-chan," Narumi-sensei said. "Well, she's friendly and cute, so it's no wonder she's popular. She's also a Special Star student." _

_Aya's eyes shimmered in awe. "Wow…She's impressive. I wonder if I could be friends with someone like her," she said. _

_Narumi looked at her and smiled. He noticed the warm expression on her face while she was staring at Mikan. He found her expression to be adorable. "If it's Mikan-chan, then you could definitely be friends." _

"_Sakura Mikan-chan…" Aya said as one of dark eyes turned scarlet._

All of a sudden, Aya opened her eyes and looked around, shivering and panting. At first she thought she was dead, because she felt completely numb. Then she realized that she was still in AAO headquarters. "I'm alive?" she muttered, placing a hand on her temple. "But how? My Alice should've killed me."

"Sakura saved you from death," Ruka said, walking over to her and kneeling down to her level. "She used her Stealing Alice on you."

Surprised, the only word she could utter was "What?!"

Curving his lips into a tender smile, Ruka placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sakura was amazing. She didn't give up all of her Alices to your boss, which is why she was still able to use the Stealing Alice on you." He pulled out a black stone from his pocket and showed it to her. "Sakura stole the Alice of Manipulation and turned it into an Alice Stone. You know, she got really tired after doing so and almost fainted."

"Mikan-chan saved me…?" She wasn't looking at Ruka anymore. Her eyes were fixed on the Alice stone as she remembered what Grandpa Sakura told her. _Mikan would save anyone in danger. She would do it without thinking twice. She's the kind of girl who values others before herself. _She turned her eyes at Ruka then, with a pleased look. "This is the second time Mikan-chan saved me," she said softly.

"She would save you every time you're in trouble," Ruka said gently as he stood up. He reached out his hand to offer his help. Under these circumstances, Ruka no longer felt any hatred for Aya. Those bitter feelings in his heart simply disappeared. "Now let's go to where Sakura and the others are."

Aya scanned the room for any sign of Mikan. "Where did Mikan-chan and that Hyuuga go?" she asked, taking hold of his hand.

Ruka's expression became a little grim. "They went after the leader. I stayed behind to watch over you since you were still unconscious."

"Then we can't waste any more time here," Aya said with a determined look. "Even though I don't have my Alices anymore, I can still kick butt. Are you ready, Nogi-san?"

"Do me a favor and call me Ruka," he told her.

Aya looked at him in surprise. "Are you sure about that?" she asked, and the blonde nodded his head in reply. "All right… Let's go, Ruka!" With dawning hope and determination, she started off, dragging Ruka right behind her.

* * *

The flame-caster went looking for the AAO leader together with Mikan. She had said he had the most powerful Alices in his grasp and it will be difficult to defeat him with only the fire Alice. Natsume had felt his abilities weakening. And now he wasn't so sure if his stamina was enough to let him endure another fight. Having the fourth-shaped Alice was a burden, but he couldn't let Mikan fight on her own—even with the Alices she possessed. Facing the AAO leader could mean death for the both of them.

They scrambled down the stairs and into the basement floor, where the AAO leader made his way across the room and opened a portal. With a venomous glare, Natsume sent his fire into the confines of the room. "Give her Alices back," he demanded. Then he punctuated the demand with a sizzle of fire along the portal.

Lips smirking, eyes staring at them menacingly, he dispersed the fire with Nullification. "Do you think I would be swayed with such threat, Black Cat?" he said. "Hmph… You wouldn't be alive right now if it weren't for the boy with the Magnetism Alice. I pity him for dying at a young age."

Natsume sent a fireball towards him, but the man merely used Nullification to shield himself. "It's your damn fault why he died," he grumbled, clenching his jaw. "You're nothing but a cold-blooded murderer."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Mihara said.

"Bastard!" Natsume charged towards him and launched a series of fire attacks.

Mikan forced herself to think of plan to outwit Mihara and get her Alices back. His obsession for power must end. It wasn't going to be easy. From personal experience, she knew how powerful her Nullification Alice was. In order to overcome it, she had to catch him off guard. She could see that Natsume was doing a good job fighting against him, but she knew he wouldn't last long because of his condition. And when Natsume was blown away, Mikan finally had thought of something good yet reckless at the same time. Swallowing hard, she put up a strong front and called the AAO leader's attention.

Mihara adjusted his glasses as he set his eyes on the brunette. "Do you want to fight me as well, little girl?" he said. "Without your Alices, there's no way you could defeat me."

"There is still one person who could defeat you," Mikan said confidently. "Have your forgotten about my mother?"

Mihara grimaced in surprise. "Of course… How could I forget?" He started walking towards Mikan as he gripped her neck with Telekinesis. "I still have to get my revenge. I'm sure Azumi Yuka will do anything for her lovely little daughter." His evil smile was back on his face.

Wincing in pain, Natsume tried to stand up. "Let go of her!" Before he could even summon his fire, Mihara pinned him down on the floor with Telekinesis. "Damn…"

"Of course, I also need you as a hostage in order to steal your uncle's Alice." Mihara tilted her chin up with his hand and leaned his face closer to hers. "Hmm…I think that Animal Pheromone boy didn't mess you up completely. You still have the courage to face me like this. I wonder what would happen if I do it with you." His arms came round her waist and pulled her tightly against his body.

She shivered a little, reminding herself to stay calm. While she stood frozen in his arms, focusing her energy, he had been staring hungrily at her. Then she was pushed down on the floor. For a few seconds she was frightened, but she fought him, and eventually he slapped her across the face.

Burning in rage, Natsume scrambled back to his feet and kicked him away from Mikan. "How dare you?!" He conjured a flame in his hand. He would never forgive any guy who would lay hands on his girl. "You're going to pay, bastard."

Mihara shrugged. "Am I supposed to be terrified?" He smirked. "I have Nullification. Your fire is useless against me."

"I don't think so," Mikan muttered as she stood up. She noticed the inquiring expression on his face and smiled. "You really didn't notice a thing, huh?"

"And what do you mean by that?" Mihara narrowed his eyes. "Are you trying to play a trick on me, little girl?"

She motioned over to Natsume's side and winked an eye. "I already did," she said teasingly, lifting her hand towards the fire, putting it out, as she clasped Natsume's hand.

Mihara gasped. "How did you…? No, it can't be." There was only one logical explanation for her to be able to extinguish a fire made by an Alice. "How did you steal it? I thought you—"

"She didn't give you all of her Alices," a voice spoke as the sound of a reloading gun was heard. Stepping out of the shadows, Mouri Reo pointed his gun at the AAO leader. "With the little portion of her Alice left, she still managed to steal all of your Alices. You've been duped, Mihara."

Powerless and shamed, Mihara immediately backed up. His face was white and dumfounded. He was confronted with three people who were ready to bring him down any second. Resisting would be futile at this point. He lost the battle. He could no longer do anything but to surrender. Dropping down on his knees, he lowered his gaze to the floor. He figured Reo and Natsume may kill him on the spot, knowing how frightful they could be. Much to his surprise, Mikan went in front of Reo and told him to lower his gun. "I don't need your pity, little girl," he muttered. "Thanks to you, my plans are all ruined. Why don't you let Reo kill me? Besides, don't you want to avenge your friend's death?" He shut his eyes and clenched his hands on his lap. Although he was prepared to die, he couldn't help trembling a little.

Mikan heaved a deep sigh. "Killing you won't bring Hibiki-kun back," she said. "And if I let Reo-san kill you, that'll make him no different from you."

Mihara shrugged. "Have you taken leave of your senses?" He glared up at her. "I'd rather die than live the rest of my life in humiliation and—"

"Shut up!" Natsume interrupted harshly. Eyes narrowed and teeth clenched, he grasped the man's shirt. "You're one insane bastard. Right now, I have the urge to kill you. You should be grateful that Mikan is willing to spare your life." He shoved Mihara away.

Reo removed the bullets from his gun. "Like the Black Cat, I also want to kill you," he said as he threw the bullets and the gun away. "But I don't want to be a murderer like you. Working with you was the biggest mistake of my life. I've been such a fool for a long time. Aya must be feeling the same way."

Mikan watched Reo balling his hands into a fist. She remembered that Aya treasured Reo and looked up to him as an older brother. Taking Reo's hand, she gave him an Alice stone and smiled up at him. "I believe this belongs to you. It has the same color as your hair, Reo-san."

The singer brushed his hand through his unruly auburn hair and nodded his head. "Yeah, it is…" he said. "Thanks…"

"You're welcome," Mikan said. She then saw Aya and Ruka standing across the room, totally bewildered. "Ruka-pyon and Aya-chan are here!"

His heart skipped a beat as he heard her name. Grinning in triumph, he turned around to face the dark-haired girl and opened his arms. "Aya, we're finally free," he said. "We're no longer servants of the organization."

Aya sprouted tears in an instant. "Ani-sama!" She dashed towards him and hugged him with all her might. "Thank goodness you're all right. I thought the leader did something terrible to you."

Natsume took the liberty of trapping the AAO leader with a ring of fire to prevent him from escaping. "I can't believe you won't let me beat the stuffing out of him," he said, gazing at his girlfriend, who showed him a cheerful smile. "You're still as forgiving as ever."

"So true!" she told him. She reached out, grabbed his uniform and pulled him towards her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him sweetly on his cheek. "I'm so excited to go back to the academy. I'm sure Hotaru and others are worried sick about us."

"I think you're only anxious to get in bed with me," Natsume teased in a laid-back tone, making her blushed ten shades of red. "Judging from your face, I'm right." He took her in his arms. His touch was tender and gentle, his crimson eyes full of the love he felt for her.

Pouting and blushing, Mikan turned her head away. "How can you think of perverted thoughts at a time like this?" she said with a shrug. "Honestly, you're really something." She looked at him again, and then he took her head in his hands and leaned down to kiss her. However, their blissful moment had to end as the alarm went off.

"What's going on?" Ruka asked.

Mihara started laughing maniacally again. "This is too good. Someone activated the self-destruct sequence. This place will explode in no less than ten minutes."

"We have to get out of here quick!" Aya said, taking Reo's hands. "Ani-sama, there's a warp portal near here. We have to get there now."

"Wait a minute, Aya," Reo said. "I want to know who set off the self-destruct sequence."

Aya shook her head violently. "There's no time for that, Ani-sama!" She also grabbed Ruka's hand. "Ruka, Mikan-chan, and that annoying guy, let's hurry!"

A vein popping on his head, Natsume glared furiously at Aya as if he'd wanted to murder her. "Remind me to pound that witch once we get out of here," he told Mikan as he gripped her hand.

Letting out a light laugh, Mikan sweat-dropped. Her boyfriend still had some issues with Aya. "Natsume, please bear with her," she said. "You know she's my friend, right?"

Natsume sighed in frustration as they started running out of the room. "I swear you make friends with the weirdest kind of people," he said nonchalantly.

"That includes you, Natsume," she said with a giggle, and Natsume shot her a glare. "Hey, I'm only stating the truth." She winked a playful eye at him.

The couple ran out of the room first, followed by Ruka and Aya. Reo noticed Mihara wasn't following them, so he turned around and went back to the room. There, he saw Mihara standing still in the middle of the room, staring blankly at the floor. "Are you planning to die?" he asked, and Mihara faced him with a smirk. At that point, Reo understood what his ex-leader was thinking and sighed. "Suit yourself…" With haste, he ran out of the room.

When all five of them reached the portal, they were surprised to see a shadowy figure standing beside it. Thinking it was an enemy, Natsume immediately created a line of fire before them and Reo demanded the person to show himself. "Calm down, everyone," the figure said. He came out of the dark, revealing his platinum-blue hair and heterochromatic eyes. "I'm an ally."

Overjoyed, Mikan ran towards Kyo without waiting for Natsume to put out the fire. She managed to run through the flames with her Nullification Alice. She gave Kyo a big hug. "I'm so glad to see you, Kyo-kun," she said. "I thought you already went back to the academy."

Flushing as red as a bright Christmas bulb, Kyo nervously wrapped his arms around the girl and smiled. "I could never leave you behind, Mikan-sama," he said. "I stayed here to help you. I'm sure Ryou would have done same thing if he was still alive." The mere mentioned of Ryou's name made him a little sad, but he kept smiling for Mikan.

Still holding him close, she looked up at him. "Hibiki-kun wanted me to give something to you," she said, reaching into her pocket. "He asked me for a favor before he left this world."

Ruka felt jealous seeing them together, but he didn't say anything.

Natsume, on the other hand, couldn't stand their closeness anymore and decided to tear them apart. "Enough with the drama," he demanded, pulling Mikan away from Kyo. "The whole place is about to blow up and you're here getting all dramatic with him." He shot a glare at Mikan then at Kyo.

"Hyuuga, you get jealous way too easily," Aya commented, shoving Natsume away and embracing Mikan as if she was a teddy bear. "Your attitude is not a good influence for Mikan-chan."

"I'll seriously burn you," Natsume said, creating fire balls in each hand.

Reo let out a sigh of frustration. "I'm surrounded by immature brats," he grumbled. "Hey, boy with weird colored eyes, were you the one who activated the self-destruct sequence?"

Kyo folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at Reo. "I have a name and it's Kawashima Kyo. And yes, I was the one who activated it. Why? Got a problem with that?" He walked towards the portal and inserted his hand into it. "I was watching you all from the control room and heard everything. You guys did a great job in defeating the leader. I wanted to do something to help, so I decided to destroy the organization's headquarters."

"You did the right thing," Reo said, lowering his head. The speaker voice announced there was only five minutes left till self-destruct, and Reo felt hesitant to go back to the academy. "Aya, come here…"

Releasing Mikan, she pranced towards Reo and asked, "What is it, Ani-sama?" As she saw the sad look on his face, she grimaced at once. Somehow, she had a feeling that Reo was contemplating over himself and understood what they have to do. "Ani-sama, I'll be here for you." She held his hand and squeezed it gently.

Kyo was prepared to leave. "I'm going in first." He turned to Mikan and winked an eye. "I'll be sure to catch you once you'll get there, so you don't have to worry about a thing. Bye for now, Mikan-sama." After saying that, he went into the portal.

Through gritted teeth, Natsume said, "There's no way I'm letting him catch you." There sheer thought of Kyo touching Mikan again made his blood boil. "Come on, let's go."

"I'm going in as well," Ruka said. "See you back at the academy." He then went into the portal.

"Aya-chan, Reo-san, let's go together," Mikan said, offering her hand towards Aya.

Reo heaved a sigh as he activated his Voice Pheromone Alice. "_Hyuuga Natsume, leave this place immediately!_" he commanded.

Both Mikan and Natsume were surprised at his sudden command. "Reo-san…?" She looked over at Natsume and saw him entering the portal without her. "N-Natsume?!" She became more shocked when she heard the speaker saying there was only two minutes left.

"Mikan-chan, we're not going with you to the academy," Aya started in a solemn voice. "Ani-sama and I don't deserve to be there. Although I feel sad to be separated from you again, I'm relieved to know you still consider me as your friend. Mikan-chan, thank you so much for everything. I will never forget the kindness you showed me."

An awkward moment of silence followed. Mikan kept her eyes on Aya, pretending to be calm, but mostly trying not to cry. Finally she said, "I respect your decision. I don't know how to say this to you, Aya-chan. But I'll say it anyway." For a moment she closed her eyes and then turned around to face the portal. "I was really hoping we could start over again once we get back. No matter… I understand how you feel. Aya-chan, I want you to know we'll always be friends no matter how far we are." She peered over her shoulders and smiled cheerfully at her.

Aya smiled back. Yes, Mikan was right. They will always be friends. "Before you go, please tell that annoying Hyuuga this…" She flipped her hair and placed one hand on her waist. "If he makes you cry, I'll hunt him down. Oh, please be careful when you're around boys too, Mikan-chan. They can be such perverted wolves. By the way, thank you giving me my Copy Alice Back." She showed her a Scarlet Alice stone.

The singer chuckled and said, "Please apologize to Naru-senpai for me and tell him I'll definitely come and visit Alice Academy someday."

Reo's brilliant smile and Aya's giggles loosened something inside Mikan. She nodded her head. "I'll be sure to tell him," she said, waving her hand at them. The speaker announced there was only 60 seconds left. Mikan was a bit worried about them, but she knew they were going to be fine together. "Take care, Reo-san, Aya-chan!" She took one more look at them before she jumped into the portal.

_To be continued… _

_

* * *

_JC: The AAO arc has ended. Next chapter will be the second to the last one, people. Will Reo and Aya return to the academy together with Mikan and the others? What is the academy going to do with Mihara? Of course, there's punishment waiting for them. Does Kawashima Asuka know about the death of Ryou? Find out soon. For now, please send in some reviews. No flaming.


	49. A Covetous Heart

JC: The second to the last chapter. Mikan and the others have finally escaped headquarters before it blew up. Aya and Reo felt they had no right to go back to the academy, so they stayed behind. They're alive, so don't worry about them. Some tearful and happy moments await you here. Let's have some more Natsume and Mikan moments, shall we? Of course, Natsume is going to have jealousy issues again. Even though Kyo likes Nonoko, he's still Mikan's number fan boy. It's a little sad that Ryou's not here anymore.

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 49: A Covetous Heart

The Anti-Alice Organization would fall. Her mother had said that, and it was true. The organization's reign ended. A lot of people were sacrificed, including a good friend of hers. So many students and teachers suffered because of the AAO. So, when they heard about the AAO's defeat, everyone in the academy was happy—well, almost everyone. The principals still had to think of a way to get the government's trust again. Because of the tragedy, many students were sent home by their parents' and relatives' demands. They were not sure if those students were willing enough to come back to the academy again.

Under any circumstances, the high school principal does not show emotions easily. However, upon seeing his niece again, he couldn't help pulling her into his arms. No words were able to express how happy he was. All this time, he was dead worried about her. Azumi Yuka held Mikan next. She almost cried, but she managed to put up a smile for Mikan. She had also thanked Natsume for saving her. Their family reunion was cut short when the faculty staff requested for the high school principal and Yuka.

When the principal and Yuka had gone and Natsume had locked the door, Mikan said, "Will everything be back to normal?" She picked up a pillow, hugged it, and sat down on her bed. "A lot of our friends had gone home. Iinchou, Permy, Nekome-kun, and Kokoroyomi-kun are among them. Hibiki-kun's not here anymore and Aya-chan chose to stay behind."

"I think," he said slowly yet coldly, "that you shouldn't be thinking so much. You're obviously stressed out already."

"I know," she answered him. "I should be happy that I'm still in one piece and the fact you're with me." Then she took his hand up and began to rub it gently. "Natsume, about what happened between me and Ruka-pyon…"

Their eyes met, and then he pulled his hand from her. "Don't say it! I don't want to hear it!" Clenching one hand, he pulled her head to him. As their lips met, he forced his tongue into her mouth, sliding past her teeth to meet her tongue. As he broke the long, passionate kiss, Natsume murmured to her, "I'm still upset with the fact Ruka slept with you. Tch...No, I'm not only upset. I'm downright frustrated." His voice was deep and grim. The fire in his eyes was growing.

She stood and took his hand. "I'm sorry…" was all she could say to him. The two of them stood in silence for a while. Then Natsume made a very bold move. He pushed her down on the bed. "N-Natsume!"

"I told you this before, didn't I?" he murmured, his hand sliding beneath her skirt to caress her bottom. "I told you I would erase all traces of Ruka from your body. I'm not going easy on you this time."

"Natsume, you big pervert," she said. "Get o—Ah!" His fingers had found her sensitive part and began to tease her. "Natsume! We can't! Not now! Ah!" Her body loved his touches. His aggressiveness was so exciting and dangerous for her that she didn't want him to stop.

"You're my girl and I'll do what I please," he said. He knew, despite her protest, she was enjoying every minute of their liaison. In a single smooth motion he removed her tie. He then kissed her on the lips while unbuttoning her uniform. As he traced kisses on her neck, she moaned in ecstasy and wrapped her arms around him. "You seriously love this, huh?" He grinned down at her arrogantly.

She shrugged. There was a faint blush on her cheeks. "We just got back and I wanted to rest," she said.

"Yeah, right…" Natsume tugged the garter of her underwear. "As if I'd let you…"

Unexpectedly, the door flew open. A cold-hearted inventor walked in and pointed a weapon at the flame-caster. "Get your ass off her, you stupid cat," she said, shooting her new Baka Rifle. The bullet hit Natsume's forehead, flinging him off the bed. "I warned you not to do any filthy things with her, but you never listen. You need to be reminded of the rules again." She walked up to Natsume and pointed the rifle at his head.

Mikan sweat-dropped. Her best friend can be so protective at times. "H-Hotaru, please don't shoot him," she said. "Besides, it's also my fault that we—"

"No, it's definitely his fault," Hotaru said. "You're the innocent one here and he's the green-minded one. He should know better than attempting to have sex with you. You're still young. It's a good thing I came."

"You gave me another reason to hate you, freak," Natsume said, challenging her with fierce eyes. "I dare you to shoot me."

The two stoic individuals stared at each other for a while. Simultaneously, they rolled their eyes away as they sighed in frustration. Mikan could only giggle at them. Hotaru and Natsume were so alike in terms of personality, although they were not in good terms with each other.

Hotaru put away her gun. "I'll spare you this time," she told Natsume. "But if I catch you harassing Mikan on the bed next time, you'll be swimming with the fishes." A threat from the Blackmailing Queen was always serious.

Natsume got back to his feet. "Am I supposed to be scared?" he replied nonchalantly. Her threats meant nothing to him.

"Well, it's good to see you two getting along as usual," Mikan said as a joke, and the two immediately shot her a glare. She gulped and let out a nervous chuckle. "I was only kidding. You two are way too serious."

"Honestly, I only came here to bring you good news, Mikan," Hotaru said, and Mikan blinked her eyes in curiosity. "Narumi-sensei is no longer in a coma. My brother healed him well."

Mikan's face brightened up. "Really? That's great! I'm going to visit Narumi-sensei later. I've missed him so much. And I'm also going to tell him about Reo-san. I'm sure he'll be happy to know that Reo has turned over a new leaf." Her voice was definitely chirpy.

Hotaru sighed dourly. "You're so noisy," she said, rolling her eyes away. "But it's been a while since I last heard you talking like this. I know I've done so many foolish things when I was still under Sugita Aya's control. It just goes to show that I'm a very weak person. On the other hand, you…" She put up a small yet gentle smile on her face. "You stayed strong. You never gave into the AAO. And even though you've experienced a lot of pain and hardships, you are still able to smile just like now." Truth to be known, Hotaru admired Mikan's smiles the most.

"Hotaru, I'm smiling right now because all of us are okay," Mikan said, controlling the urge to hug her. "And I'm happy to see you smiling too. Hotaru, you—"

"Just shut up and come here, dummy," Hotaru said.

The brunette giggled and hugged the inventor real tight. "I love you, Hotaru," she cheerfully said.

* * *

The victims of the sickness were eventually cured the next day all thanks to Nonoko. Before the sickness was spread, Nonoko had secretly injected the cure into Anna's blood. She did it when Aya's manipulation on her got weaker. Imai Subaru was finally able to rest when all of his patients were well again. Nonoko had told Anna about what happened to her and apologized for being helpless in her time of need. The pink-haired chef held no grudges against her friend and told her that she was just happy to see her safe and sound.

"Let's talk about Kawashima-kun, Nonoko-chan," Anna said, hugging the chick stuffed toy she got from Nonoko as a get-well present. "You told me that Kawashima-kun protected you all the time. I bet you were so thrilled. Kawashima-kun stood as your dashing knight."

Flushing red, Nonoko fiddled with her fingers. "Um… Kyo is really the coolest guy I've ever met." She touched her lips and smiled as she recalled the kiss with him. "And he's so sweet. He and I already kissed."

"Good for you, Nonoko-chan!" Anna said with a big smile on her face. "That means you two are already an item now."

Nonoko shook her head. "I haven't confessed my feelings to him yet," she said.

"But you two already kissed."

"I know… But I want to be sure. I want to know what he feels about me. I want to hear him say he loves me too." Her heart pounded in trepidation.

"Nonoko-chan has matured a lot," Anna said, lightly laughing. "And you've become more beautiful. Well, a girl stands out more when she's in love. Nonoko-chan, I admire the love you have for Kawashima-kun."

Self-conscious, the young chemist's face turned redder. "Anna-chan, I'm ready to tell him how I feel," she said in a stuttering voice. "However, now is not a good time for a confession. His heart is still grieving for Hibiki-kun. Hibiki-kun was his best friend."

Tapping her cheek with her finger, Anna thought in silence for a while. "Hey, why don't you cheer him up, Nonoko-chan? Let's bake him our famous dancing smiley cookies. Your special ingredient will surely lighten up his spirits again." She placed a hand on Nonoko's shoulder. "So, what do you say? Are you with me?"

Nonoko didn't have to think twice. She would do anything for Kyo. "All right, let's do it!" she said cheerfully. "Wait a minute… Are you allowed to leave the hospital?"

Hopping off the bed, Anna winked a playful eye at Nonoko. "I'll sneak my way out of here," she said, grabbing Nonoko's hand. "I know I'll be scolded by Imai-sensei later on, but I want to bake those cookies with you, Nonoko-chan."

"Um… Imai-sensei can be pretty scary." From her experience as Subaru's personal assistant, she knew it wouldn't be wise to get on his bad side. "Plus, I think you still need to rest. You've just recovered from the sickness, Anna-chan."

Anna giggled sweetly. "Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine now. It's been a while since I last saw my kitchen, so I'm dying to work there again. Getting scolded by Imai-sensei is not going to scare me." She spun around and walked to the door, hauling her best friend with her.

When the two of them passed by a certain room with a slightly opened door, Nonoko stopped as she saw two familiar people inside. She moved closer and peeked in secretly. Much to her utter dismay, she saw Kyo and Mikan embracing one another. She managed not to gasp when she heard Kyo say "I love you…" to Mikan, but her knees became weak. She closed her eyes and backed away from the door until she bumped into Anna. Nonoko was too stunned to say anything to Anna.

"You're acting strange, Nonoko-chan," Anna said, noticing Nonoko's trembling hands. "What did you see?" She peeked inside the room and clamped her mouth at the sight of Mikan in Kawashima's arms. She looked back at Nonoko, who had tears streaming down her face already. Anna felt sorry for her friend and wanted to comfort her. But as she reached out her hand, Nonoko turned and ran off.

* * *

Hibiki Ryou was dead. It was a painful fact to accept. Kawashima Kyo wasn't able to contain his tears when he talked about Ryou with Mikan. He let his emotions out as he held her in his arms. He didn't care if he was going to be burned alive by Natsume. He only wanted someone beside him during his time of sorrow. And during his emotional state, he unintentionally expressed his love for Mikan again. His love for Mikan was purely admiration, and he only said those three magical words in a spur of moment.

Kyo had told his older sister about the tragic news as well. He had said simply that Ryou saved Natsume's life by giving up his own, that he was happy to have met them, and that he was lucky to have a friend like Kyo. Kawashima Asuka was crying by the window. Remembering Ryou, Asuka looked from the sky to the ground. She saw that below the Alice security personnel were patrolling the area. It brought back another memory, the memory of her fighting against Ryou before he escaped to the AAO. She turned and went to sit down on the bed. Clutching her skirt, Asuka shut her eyes tight as tears continued to fall.

"Asuka-senpai," Mikan said, walking up to her. "I'm sorry for everything…" She bowed her head in apology.

"Why are you apologizing?" Asuka said, violently wiping her tears away. "You didn't do anything wrong, Mikan-chan. It's the organization's fault." She stood up, biting her lower lip, and hugged the brunette. "It's their entire fault. Ryou died because of them. But I'm happy to know that he died happily in your arms, Mikan-chan. That guy adores you to bits." She put up a smile on her face as she eased away from Mikan.

"Senpai…" Mikan lowered her gaze to the floor, recalling Ryou's last moments with her. She slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out a small round item. "Asuka-senpai, Kyo-kun, I have something here that belongs to Hibiki-kun…" She opened her palm, showing silver Alice stone."

"Is that Ryou's Alice stone?" Asuka asked, and Mikan nodded in reply. "Wait a minute… You stole Ryou's Magnetism Alice? Why?"

Mikan closed her eyes as she clasped the stone with both hands. She brought it near her heart and smiled. "Hibiki-kun's last request was to take his Alice away and give it to Kyo-kun," she explained as she opened her eyes again. "He wants Kyo-kun to take care of his Alice from now on." She took Kyo's hand and handed him the stone.

Asuka placed a hand on Kyo's shoulder. "That idiot still thought of you till the end," she said in a serene voice. "With the Magnetism Alice, I'm sure you'll feel Ryou's presence inside you."

"It's like he never left this world," Kyo said, smiling down at the Alice stone. "This Alice is going to give me more strength. I'll be sure to use it wisely."

"You two are truly smiling again," Mikan said, clapping her hands in joy.

Asuka cuddled Mikan like a giant teddy bear and brushed her cheek against hers. "We're smiling again because of Ryou and you," she said, pulling away. "Besides, moping around will do me no good. Ryou wouldn't like it if we're sad because of him. Isn't that right, Kyo?"

"Normally, I wouldn't agree with you, but I'll make an exception today," Kyo said, crossing his arms. "And for the record, a depressed sister is much more annoying than an energetically loud-mouthed—" He was interrupted when Asuka whacked him on the head with her trusty paper fan.

"Now that's how you are supposed to act," Mikan said, laughing. Yup, seeing the two bicker was entertaining and it was the Kawashima siblings' usual routine.

Later, Mikan had gone to the barn and she had fed some of the animals there. Her primary purpose for visiting the barn was to see Ruka, but since he wasn't around yet, she figured to wait for him. Sora came in and started playing with her and the animals.

"Sora, you're a little bundle of joy," Mikan said, as Sora perched on her shoulder. "You helped Tsubasa-senpai and the others a lot. Thank you." She also thanked Sora's creator, Shirasaki Yuki, silently in her head as she went out of the barn. Yuki may not be around anymore, but she kept him close in her heart.

The mechanical bird chirped and hopped on her head before it flew away. She followed Sora with her eyes until it perched on someone's blonde head. A smile instantly appeared when she saw that it was Ruka.

"Sakura, what brings you here?" Ruka asked, as Sora flew away together with his bird friends.

"I wanted to see you, Ruka-pyon." She approached him and noticed the red mark on his right cheek. "Ruka-pyon, what happened to your cheek?"

Ruka held his cheek, closed his eyes for a moment, and took a long deep breath. "Imai did this to me. She slapped me so hard after I apologized to her." He opened his eyes and chuckled. "Well, I deserved it, although I was expecting to be tortured by now. Fortunately, Imai wasn't totally angry with me."

"Hotaru can be forgiving too," Mikan said, and Ruka frowned. "Forgiving when needed… Most of the time she's just cruel."

He whistled, calling a bird from the sky. When the bird landed on his hand, he asked the bird to get something from his rabbit that was waiting at his room. As the bird flew away, Ruka took hold of Mikan's hand. "I have a gift for you, Sakura," he said. "I bought it when Sugita and I went to Central Town together. At that time, I was under her control, but I remember buying it with my own will because I knew it would suit you."

"What kind of gift is it?" she asked, her eyes beaming with curiosity.

The bird came back and gave him the item. "Here it is…" He opened his hand and showed her a blue butterfly hair clip with real diamonds on it. "I hope you like it."

The brunette took it from him and examined it in amazement. "It's beautiful," she said. "Ruka-pyon, this is a great gift. Thank you very much." She hugged him, making his face flush like crazy, and pulled away after a few seconds. She fixed her hair and clipped it on a little on the side.

His heart thundered. "You look good in anything you wear, Sakura," he managed to say. For a moment he felt nervous. Ruka reached out to touch her. Gently he held her hand between both of his. "Sakura, I still love you. I don't think I can ever change the way I feel about you. You could say I'm obsessed. But after this, I promise I won't do anything to take you away from Natsume. I know how much you love him." Leaning forward, he kissed her tenderly on the lips. He had no ill intentions. He just wanted to feel Mikan's lips one more time in order to satisfy his desire. As he pulled back, he gazed into her amber orbs and caressed her cheek.

"Why did you kiss me?" she asked. She was blushing.

Ruka turned away and kicked at a stone, and it skipped towards the tree. "I kissed you just to show how much I love you," he admitted. He felt like saying the things on his mind. Shyness wasn't an issue for him at the moment. "I don't think I can ever commit myself to another girl. You are way too special for me."

Mikan's lips curved into a smile. "You really mean that?"

Ruka nodded his head. "You've made my life more colorful. And I didn't ever mean to hurt you." He said it so softly, so urgently. "When I first met you, I really didn't think we could be friends. But we became close to one another and I fell in love with you."

"Wow… Ruka-pyon, you're really talkative today," she said with a little laugh. "And you're getting a little emotional now."

"Sakura, what do you think of me?" he asked all of a sudden. "I want to know…"

"First of all, you're one of the nicest guy I've ever met," she said, clinging to his arm, making him blush. "Secondly, you're a good friend to me and Natsume. Lastly, you're a very unique person and you'll always remain special to me."

Happy to hear such words, he thought back over the past years and all he had done together with Mikan. He remembered the first time he met her. He remembered playing dodgeball with her. He remembered the first kiss he gave her during Christmas. He remembered every wonderful moment. "I realized this a long time ago—that we could only be just friends without complications. However, my heart refused to admit it." When Mikan approached him, he turned and caught her in a quick, laughing embrace. "But now I realize how much our friendship means"

Mikan poked his temple and giggled. "Ruka-pyon, let's be friends forever," she said, grabbing his hand. Together they went back to the dorm, the best of friends. Unknown to them, a certain raven-haired boy had been watching them from the start, and he was very jealous.

* * *

The afternoon turned cooler and Mikan was out visiting the middle school building where she met some of her fan boys. It seemed like they were still active and energetic. Usually they didn't try to detain her, but once when their leaders are not around they would act rowdy. She noticed them glancing at her cheerfully and dreamily, as though they wanted to ask her something, or expected something of her. Mikan looked at them curiously, and they smiled.

"We were worried sick about you, Mikan-sama," one fan boy said. "A lot of us couldn't sleep at night when we heard that you got kidnapped by the organization. It's such a relief for us to see you here again."

"Majority of us still stayed because we wanted to help keep the academy safe for you," another boy said. He seemed rather awkward as he scratched the back of his head. "We refused to go back home knowing that you were in danger, Mikan-sama."

A young man with fair hair and a notably good-looking face smiled. "After all, Mikan-sama is our loving princess."

Her fans were so sweet, Mikan mused as she bowed her head. "I'm sorry for making you all worried," she said. She straightened up and showed them her trademark smile. "Looks like I have to stay out of trouble for now on, since they're a lot of people who cares about me. I should stop making them worried all the time."

The sun had set, and Mikan, who had left the middle school building, was heading towards the high school dorms. She was set on visiting her seniors, who were completely healed from their injuries yesterday.

As she stepped into the dorm premises, Nobara materialized at her side. "Mikan-chan, good evening," she said.

"Good evening, Nobara-chan!" Mikan said, giving the Ice Princess a hug. "I visited the hospital this morning and the doctor said you were already discharged. I guess Hotaru's brother's Alice did wonders for you, huh?"

"My injuries were superficial," Nobara explained. "Kage-san was the one with the heavy injuries. But he's fine now."

She wondered what Tsubasa would say to her about the issue with Ruka. Natsume told her that Tsubasa was present at the time Ruka announced he had slept with her. She wondered if Tsubasa had told anyone about it. "I'm going to pay Tsubasa-senpai a visit," she said. "Will you come with me, Nobara-chan?"

But Nobara shook her head. "I'm sorry, Mikan-chan, but I have to report to your uncle fast," she said. "He needs my help."

"It's all right," she said. "Since it's uncle, I'm sure he needs you for something important."

Mikan proceeded to the top floor, where the Special Star rooms where located, and saw Harada Misaki coming out of Tsubasa's room. Walking up to her, Mikan asked about Tsubasa's physical condition. Misaki sighed in frustration and said, "He's in good health now." She folded her arms and glared furiously at the door. It was obvious to Mikan that she was pissed as hell, and she guessed it has something to do with Tsubasa. "That guy… I was getting sentimental and he teases me about it. But I know he only did that to lighten up the mood. He hates it when things get damped."

Laughing, she said, "Well, Tsubasa-senpai is always like that."

Noticing the butterfly clip on Mikan's hair, Misaki reached out to touch it carefully. "Is this new?" she asked, and the brunette nodded her head in reply. "I see… It's really nice, Mikan. Did you buy it? Or did someone give it to you as a gift?"

"Ruka-pyon gave it to me as a sign of our friendship!" Mikan replied enthusiastically. Then the thought of the gift made her remember the ring Tsubasa showed her—the ring he was going to give to Misaki. She glanced at Misaki's finger and saw no ring. _Maybe Tsubasa-senpai is looking for the right time to give it. I'm getting kind of nervous for him. He's going to propose to Misaki-senpai and they'll get married in the future. _

Misaki patted her head before she spun around on her heels. "Ruka-pyon sure has a good taste in accessories," she said, stretching her arms up high. "Natsume-kun too, since he gave you that cute Sakura pendant. Well, I don't want to keep you here any longer. I know you want to see Tsubasa." She peered over shoulder and looked at Mikan with a smile. After that, she retired to her room.

Turning to the door, Mikan knocked on it twice. "Umm… Tsubasa-senpai, I'm here to see you. Can I come in?" she asked. She heard the sound of footsteps scrambling towards the door. When the door opened, her favorite senior welcomed her with open arms. "Tsubasa-senpai!" She literally tackled Tsubasa to the floor due to her excitement.

"Woah, Mikan, are you planning to kill me?" Tsubasa said, staring at her with one eye, as he raised his head. The brunette didn't say anything and merely gave him the puppy-dog look. He swallowed hard. Her puppy-dog look was too adorable to resist. "Mikan, stop it. I know you're cute and all." He heaved a deep sigh, as Mikan leaned on his chest. Not knowing what else to do, he wrapped his arms around Mikan and brushed his hand through her hair.

"I like it when Tsubasa-senpai hugs me," she said. "You're so warm." She got off of him and put out her hand.

Tsubasa shrugged. "I would probably be dead by now if your boyfriend saw us," he said, taking her hand, getting back on his feet. "Mikan, please close the door. I have something important I want to discuss with you." There was sharpness in his voice.

Anxiety shot through her nerves in a second. "Ah…Sure…" She closed the door and reluctantly faced him. She knew what was coming at her. "So, what do you want to—"

He cut her off with a frank question. "Is it true that you slept with Ruka-pyon?" His eyes were hidden under his dark locks. "I'm sorry for bringing it up, but I want to know."

"Yes, I did…" Mikan replied hesitantly, lowering her eyes to the tips of her shoes. "I slept with Ruka-pyon." She then explained to him, in a shaky and sad voice, about what happened between her and Ruka. She didn't leave out the part where Mihara drugged her with aphrodisiac, which was the cause of her eagerness to have sex with Ruka.

Tsubasa looked mildly thoughtful. "I see…" He moved and began to stroll to the balcony. "Mikan, come here…" he said.

She motioned over to his side, as Tsubasa's eyes wandered to the view below. Following his gaze, she saw three high school girls wave their hands at Tsubasa. Mikan was aware her senior was popular with the girls even though he was already taken. As the girls walked away, Mikan looked up at him and asked, "Tsubasa-senpai, are you all right?"

"Did you know that Natsume almost killed Ruka-pyon when he snapped?"

"Yes… To be honest, I was completely shocked. I didn't expect Natsume to do such a thing to Ruka-pyon. It was a good thing you were there, senpai."

When he saw her clasping her hands together, he put an arm on her shoulders. "I stopped that brat not only because I cared for Ruka-pyon, but also because of the promise I made with him." He looked at her positively, and then said slowly, "That brat almost killed his best friend because of jealousy and anger. You should really be careful around boys. Natsume might kill them." After that, he smiled and poked her cheek. "We can never change the fact that he's one possessive lover."

Nervously she clamped her mouth and moved, leaving a couple of feet between them. "Lover? Senpai, isn't that a little—"

"I'm amazed with young people today," said Tsubasa, sounding aggrieved. "They can't wait until they reached the age of maturity. At least, I'm willing to wait for Misaki. But Natsume is so aggressive that he can't control his stupid hormones."

"Senpai, please don't tell this to anyone," Mikan said, knowing the full consequences in stored. "I don't want any trouble."

"Look, Mikan," he said uncomfortably, "I daresay you two were wrong for doing it. I mean, come on, you guys are only fourteen. When I first found out about it, I got really upset. I talked it over with Natsume and gave him a piece of my mind. And I also warned him not to make you pregnant. A lot of people will kill him if that ever happens, including me."

She looked at him, pleased. And his face gave her assurance. It was deliberately jovial. "Senpai, Natsume is always careful. I'm sure he won't make any mistakes with me."

Tsubasa patted her head as if she was a little kitten. "Well, since Natsume's pretty responsible, I don't really have to worry about you two."

* * *

After having a scrumptious meal Mikan went to the balcony. The birds that gathered every evening in the trees next to the dormitory twittered into sleepy silence, and their shrill chorus was replaced by the soprano throbbing of a thousand crickets. The night was cold and Mikan, listening carefully to the cicadas with a very relaxed appearance, sat on the railing as she gazed up at the starry sky.

Natsume was standing right beside her, his back against the railing. He had been quietly staring at Mikan, but at her movement he turned his head quickly and asked, "What is it?"

"Nothing," she said. "It's cold." She didn't know if she wanted to go back inside her room or to spend more time enjoying the night breeze.

Natsume suddenly said, "Come to the hot spring with me." He straightened and held out his hand to Mikan.

She said, "It's late, Natsume. I'm not sure that I—"

His hand descended on her wrist, pulling her on to her feet. Narrowing his eyes, he said, "We're going to the hot spring in the moonlight, polka-dots. Go and change. I don't want to hear any buts." He looked undeniably cold as he said that.

When she had changed he was waiting outside her room. "Natsume, I'm ready…" she said.

"Come on, then." He held her wrist again, his eyes dark with challenge. He kept his hold on her as though not trusting her to follow, and they walked through the gentle darkness of the Northern Woods to the hot spring. It was a manmade hot spring created by one of the teachers last year as a gift for Mikan. Other students were not allowed to use it without permission. "Remove your clothes," he ordered.

"Okay…" She had her bathing suit on, so there was no need to be self-conscious. She removed her clothes and dropped them beside her towel. Before she could move from her spot, she saw Natsume taking everything off, including his boxers. He then wrapped a short towel around his lower half. "Natsume, you didn't wear trunks!"

"Take off that thing you're wearing now," Natsume said. "It's not suitable for a hot spring."

Mikan's face heated up. "What?! No way! I don't want to be naked here. Someone might see me."

"No one is able to set foot around this area without permission. Have you forgotten about the barrier?" He could see that Mikan was still reluctant, so he walked up to her and cupped her chin. "Why are you acting so shy all of a sudden? I've seen your body so many times already. If you're not going to strip, I swear I'm going to burn this swimsuit of yours."

Hastily Mikan removed her bathing suit and covered her body with a towel. "There, are you satisfied?" she said with a shrug. She went to the edge of the spring and slipped quickly into the water. The first shock was hot and soon it began to feel soothing. She splashed water at her face and looked at Natsume, who was now poised at the other end. "Are you just going to stand there?"

He slipped into the water and approached her. When he reached her, he scooped her into his arms. Their bodies were smooth and warm with the water, and his eyes were fathomless, nothing but gleam in the darkness. Mikan sensed an elemental excitement in him—it was redolent in his hands on her bare wet skin and his thighs against hers.

"What did you do the whole day?" he questioned.

"Oh, this morning I paid Kyo-kun and Asuka-senpai. After that, I went to the barn and played with Sora and the animals. When Ruka-pyon came, he gave me a really beautiful hairclip. In the afternoon, I went to the middle school building and talked with the members of my fan club. They were all worried about me. The last thing I did before going back to the dorm was to visit Tsubasa-senpai."

Natsume gripped the round of her shoulders, making her wince in pain. "I think you skipped out on the important parts," he icily said, digging his nails into her skin. "Don't you want to tell me that you and Kawashima hugged? He even confessed his feelings for you. How about the part where you and Ruka kissed? You've also let those fan boys and Andou touch you." Brimming with protectiveness, he kissed her—not gently at all. The warmness vanished in a hunting, hurting kiss that seemed to express an angry desire to bruise her into some sort of submission.

Frightened, she kicked against him, but the water impeded her. Pushing against him with her hands was futile. She couldn't free her arms enough to hit him.

When he lifted his head, and his hold slackened a little, she lashed out, freeing herself and thumping a fist against his hard chest. His arms fell away and she moved away from him as quickly as possible. She was almost out when Natsume caught her, his hands slipping along her wet limbs as she silently fought him. The water splashed about them while they struggled. But her strength was no match against his. She stopped struggling when he finally got both her hands firmly gripped in one of his, behind her back, and the other hand was holding her by the hair. Then his lips were on the wet skin of her throat, skimming slowly along the length of it in a sumptuous caress. She felt helpless as he explored her with his mouth.

He released her hands and said, "Get out now."

Trembling, she climbed out and walked to the light blur on the dark grass where their clothes were. She picked one up, and pressed it over her face. All of a sudden, Natsume plucked it away. She made a protesting sound that turned to a gasp as his hands pulled her back against him, his fingers hard against her stomach. His mouth was on her shoulder. "Natsume, this isn't like you. You're acting like an animal."

"It's your fault. You're mine and yet you let other guys take advantage of you so easily."

In a fury of enragement, she made a vicious movement of her shoulder, so that he jerked up his head. "I let Kyo-kun hugged me because I wanted to comfort him. Ruka-pyon gave me a harmless kiss. You were there, weren't you? So, you probably heard his reason too." Tears have started to fall. "Those boys were merely having fun talking to me. They didn't do anything weird to me. And of course, you already know that Tsubasa-senpai is like a brother to me! Natsume, why do you get so jealous so easily? Don't you have any faith in me?"

"Shut up!" he said roughly. He turned her suddenly in his arms against the nakedness of his body. "I love you, that's why. I can't help myself. I get so annoyed seeing you with other guys. And since you got me so worked up, you're going to give me what I want. I'm sure you know damn well what it is."

She did, and there wasn't any doubt of it. But as his fingers loosened the towel she whispered in protest. "Natsume, not here!"

He pulled her down on the ground. His hands started hot waves of excitement in her. His lips followed where his hands had been, and she gave a long, soft shuddering sigh and gave herself up to his touches.

* * *

As Natsume escorted her back to her room, Mikan relieved the scorching moments by the hot spring. He had hardly been gentle, and she was aware that her body ached a little and was probably bruised. After getting what he wanted, he told her to get dressed and put on his own clothes. As she dressed she shivered, feeling colder than the chilly night.

When she got back to her room Mikan had a shower and got ready for bed. She found Natsume already in her bed when she came out of the bathroom. He was lying with his eyes closed. She didn't think he was asleep, but when she lay beside him, watching his face, he didn't stir, and after a few minutes she switched off the lights and settled back into the bed.

In the morning, she woke up so early. There was a streak of dawn lightening the drapes across the balcony door. She glanced at Natsume and saw that his eyes were open. He didn't look happy. "Natsume…" she muttered. "You bruised me last night…" She touched the bruised spot as she moved a little away from him.

He looked down rather broodingly and said, "I know and I regretted it." His voice sounded curt.

"Really now?"

Natsume's eyes were daunting. He took her hand in his and moved until he was poised over her. "What do you want me to do about it?" he said, maintain a stoic expression.

"You should learn more self-control, Natsume," she said. "You're normally composed, but when it comes to me, you don't think straight anymore."

"Are you reprimanding me?"

"What do you think?" she said in a slightly mocking voice.

He stayed looking down at her a moment longer. "Tch…This is really your fault." He plundered her mouth with a possessive force that gave her no place to escape to, no way to hide her instinctive response to him.

"Natsume, you're not being gentle at all," she said with a cute pout.

"I'm through with being gentle, polka-dots," he whispered hotly in her ear. His hard body imprisoned her and his hands played havoc with her senses.

_To be continued…_

_

* * *

_JC: Okay, we can't change the fact that Natsume's super obsessed with Mikan. The chapter title was referring to Natsume's heart. This is the second to the last chapter, which means that the next one is the finale! I promise you that the finale will contain so many romantic moments. Nonoko and Kyo will finally resolve their feelings. Tsubasa is going to propose to Misaki at last. I will feature another couple too. Of course, there will be more Mikan and Natsume fluff. Reo and Aya will appear too. Get ready for the final chapter, everyone. Please send in those reviews. No flaming.


	50. Obsession Lasts Forever

JC: This is it! This is the one everyone's waiting for—the final chapter. I've spent a lot of thinking on this one. Generally, endings in stories tend to get boring, unsatisfying, or too cliché. I don't know if mine would be good, but I did my best on this one. I'm not the most perfect writer out there, but I appreciate my talent in writing. To all the reviewers who are supporting this story, I hope you'll enjoy the last chapter of Obsession.

Warning: This is a long chapter. This actually reached 24 pages in Microsoft Word. I didn't know what came over me. I kept on writing and writing and I didn't realized it was this long. Oh well...

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.

* * *

**Obsession**

Chapter 50: Obsession Lasts Forever

Alone. She was alone on the bed, alone in the room. Totally alone. She lay there breathing hard, trying to come back to herself, knowing there was no use calling out to the guy who had just given her so much damage—and then left her. She fought the tears gathering in the backs of her eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to make the pain go away. She desperately wanted to understand him. Why he had to hurt her in a fit of jealousy?

She pulled up the covers and burrowed down into the warmth created by her own body. She actually slept for two hours, then rose, to start the day. She did her morning rituals and got dressed in her middle school uniform. She was just putting on her tie when the door burst open. She almost jumped out of her skin, until she found herself facing a cold-looking Hotaru.

The inventor's amethyst eyes narrowed as she approached Mikan. "I knew something was wrong the minute I woke up from a nightmare. Your eyes tell me that you just cried."

Mikan could not possibly tell Hotaru about what Natsume did to her or else she'll flip. "Um… I had a nightmare. When I woke up, I was already crying." She laughed to ease her nervousness.

"You're a very bad liar, Mikan," Hotaru said. "Tell me what's wrong. Does it have something to do with that stupid Black Cat?"

The brunette swallowed hard. Her best friend was as sharp as a tack. How would she explain it to Hotaru? After all, the issue with guys and sex were a mouthful for her. "N-Natsume didn't do anything…" She was badly stuttering. At times like this she wished she could make a good lie. "There's nothing wrong. You don't have to worry about me, Hotaru." But the moment she turned her head to the side, the mark on her neck became visible to Hotaru.

Hotaru's eyes widened at the sight of the love bite on Mikan's neck. At that moment, Hotaru realized what was wrong with her. "It does have something to do with Natsume-kun after all," she said, clenching her fists. "I'm going to make him pay."

Mikan threw her a confused look. "And what do you mean by that? I told you Natsume didn't do anything."

"Oh, really now?" Hotaru reached out for Mikan's neck. "Don't try to defend that guy, Mikan. I understand everything now. Despite my warnings, he still did it with you. I'm sure you were forced."

The cat was out of the bag now. Mikan could no longer deny it. "Yesterday, he did force me… And I was so frightened." She began to tremble. "It was the first time he became so rough with me. He was usually gentle with me and he always cared about my feelings. He became so different because he was jealous. He was jealous of Ruka-pyon, Tsubasa-senpai, and everyone in my fan club. But he shouldn't be. He shouldn't. Natsume is the guy I love the most. My feelings for him would never change. He should have faith in me." Hot tears streamed down her cheeks as she dropped to her knees.

_It was the first time he became so rough with her…? So that means they did it more than once already… Still, what he did to her is unforgivable. _Hotaru had come up with certain ways to deal with Natsume later. "Well, we can't hide the fact that you're extremely attractive to a lot of boys, so Natsume-kun has the right to get jealous. However, his possessiveness has gotten out of hand. We have to teach him a lesson. Of course, I need your help and you're not entitled to refuse."

Mikan looked up at her best friend. "W-What do you have in mind, H-Hotaru?" she said between her sniffs.

"I'll tell you all about it right after you stop crying," Hotaru said seriously, pointing her Baka Gun at Mikan. "I really hate your crying face. A smile suits you better, so you better wipe those tears away or else."

"I-I'm sorry…" Mikan thought of what Natsume did and shut her eyes tight. "I can't stop myself from crying, Hotaru. Instead of rejoicing for our safe return from the organization, Natsume did something cruel to me."

"That's why I want to make him pay," Hotaru said, kneeling down to her level. Putting her invention away, she placed a hand on Mikan's shoulder. "Although I want to physically torture him, it's much better if we play a trick on him."

"Count us in," a voice spoke all of a sudden. The two girls immediately turned their heads towards the door and saw Tsubasa and Misaki in the flesh. "We heard everything," he said.

"And we can't just let him get away with that," Misaki said, rubbing her hard knuckles.

Mikan lowered her gaze to the floor and sighed. "Even Tsubasa-senpai and Misaki-senpai…" She figured that it won't do any harm if she played along. As she wiped her tears away, she stood up and said, "All right… Let's do it…"

"There's no turning back now," Hotaru said, pulling out her cell phone from her pocket. "My plan is simple yet drastic and I want everyone's cooperation on this. I'm going to give my brother a call. We need him to make things a lot more realistic and interesting."

Misaki crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Are you going to tell him about the thing between Natsume-kun and Mikan?" She had a very serious demeanor on.

Hotaru calmly shook her head. "As you know, my brother is quite fond of Mikan. To tell him about their sexual relationship could mean the end for that moron Natsume-kun." She flipped her phone open and dialed her brother's number. "My brother is known to be merciless."

"Putting your brother aside, don't you think it's more dangerous if the high school principal found out about it?" Tsubasa said, and Mikan gasped in surprise. "I'm sure he'll have Natsume imprisoned for life." He let out a laugh.

Grumbling, Misaki shot her boyfriend a glare. "That's no funny matter, Tsubasa," she said. "Anyway, I think I know what Hotaru-chan is planning." Call it a woman's intuition.

Mikan and Tsubasa blinked in confusion. "And what is that?" the both of them asked in unison.

The red-haired girl giggled and winked a playful eye at them. "You'll see," she said. "We're going to have fun fooling Natsume-kun."

* * *

Umenomiya Anna brought her best friend to the park at Central Town after breakfast the next morning. "Nonoko-chan, cheer up. It's not yet the end of the world." Nonoko had been sulking ever since she saw Kyo hugging Mikan and confessing his feelings to her at the hospital. She wasn't angry at Kyo or Mikan, knowing that Kyo admired Mikan for so long, but she felt a little disappointed in him. "Why don't we go shopping for new clothes? It's been a while since we last hit the mall. Come on, Nonoko-chan, it'll be fun."

But Nonoko was hardly listening; she was thinking about Kyo. "He told me to wait for him before I left the organization," she muttered. "So, I waited for him anxiously. But Kyo still has feelings for Mikan-chan." Tears stung her eyes in a second. It was too hard for her to bear inside.

Anna stroked Nonoko's hair. "You can't blame Kawashima-kun for his feelings," she said. "When he came to this academy, Mikan-chan was the first to be true to him."

"Yeah…and I can never compete against Mikan-chan," Nonoko said, burying her hands in her palms. "Still, I love Kyo so much—even if he loves Mikan-chan."

"You're wrong, Nonoko," a familiar voice called out.

Slowly the two girls looked up and saw Kawashima Kyo standing a few inches away from them.

"I only like Mikan-sama as a fan," he told her, and Nonoko turned her head away. "The one I really love is none other than you, Nonoko."

Closing her eyes in despair, Nonoko clasped her hands together against her chest. "You're lying," she muttered. "You love Mikan-chan. I heard you confessing your love to her at the hospital. You were even hugging her."

Kyo realized that Nonoko was hurt and he had to do something to make it up to her. "Nonoko, the time at the hospital...It's not what you think…"

Nonoko faintly smiled as she stood up. "You don't have to make excuses, Kyo," she said. "I'm not mad at you. I guess I just got my hopes up for nothing. Please excuse me." With that, she ran away.

"Ah, Nonoko-chan!" Anna called out, but her best friend didn't stop.

"Don't worry… Leave everything to me, Umenomiya-san," Kyo said, and went after Nonoko in a hurry.

The streets were not crowded and easy to run along it. Before she knew it, Nonoko had aimlessly run into an alley where there was a dead end. Because of that, Kyo managed to catch up. Taking a deep breath, she took a step backward and managed to step on a can. Nonoko tripped and almost hit the wall if it weren't for Kyo's fast reaction.

Kyo held her in his arms and asked, "Are you all right, Nonoko?" He sounded very concerned.

"Yes, I'm fine thanks to you, Kyo." Even though his rescue was complete, Kyo still hadn't let her go. Her heart started pounding hard. "Um…Kyo, you can let go of me now." Suddenly Kyo's embrace tightened. "Kyo?"

"I'm not going to make any excuses," Kyo whispered softly. "But I will tell you the truth. Mikan-sama lent me her shoulder to cry on. Ryou's death was something I couldn't bear, and Mikan-sama was there to relieve me of my pain. The moment I hugged her, I imagined that it was you in my arms—not Mikan-sama. In a spur of moment, I said 'I love you' while thinking about you, Nonoko."

His heterochromatic eyes were pure and honest, and just by looking at them, Nonoko knew he was for real. "Kyo, so that means you—"

"Nonoko," he murmured against her hair, so tenderly. "You are very special to me."

Her face turned redder. "Kyo, I-I think you're special too," she said. "And I really, really love you." It took all her courage to say that and she felt a little embarrassed about it.

"I'm happy, Nonoko," Kyo said. "I really am, because I'm in love with you." He eased away to face her pretty face and smiled at the sight of her red cheeks.

She closed her eyes as his lips met hers. She melted against the strength of his body, clinging to him as if she could make the moment last forever. But almost as soon as her knees were getting weak, Kyo gently set her free. "Kyo…" she muttered, her face flushed red.

"Well," he said, and there was no mistaking the tenderness in his voice, "this is turning out to be a pretty wonderful day."

"It sure is." She sighed. Once there had been so much she wanted to say to him, but no longer. Words weren't really important anymore. What counted was touching, understanding, and caring.

* * *

Mikan avoided Natsume for three weeks, and the news spread around the academy like wildfire. At that time, a lot of students have returned to the academy and everything was back to normal. Well, almost everything because Mikan and Natsume's relationship was kind of strained. Mikan had also temporarily moved to Narumi-sensei's room by simply telling the teacher that she had a fight with Natsume. Narumi was more than happy to have his precious daughter under the same roof as him. The fan boys were happy to hear about the sudden distance between the couple, knowing that they still have a chance with Mikan. Obviously, Natsume wasn't too keen on hearing that. And for the past three weeks, he had been isolating himself from everyone, including Ruka.

The Black Cat of the academy kept himself busy one day by reading a manga under a Cherry Blossom Tree in the Northern Woods. What he did to Mikan kept nagging him. He had truly regretted what he did and he wanted to apologize to her. It was only a little past lunch time when he finished two volumes, but he still kept thinking about his mistake.

After gathering his comic books, he walked around the forest. He had told himself he just needed a good walk and a breath of fresh air. He crossed the flower area, and then stepped out to a vacant field. His hands were as a cold as the weather, though he had the Fire Alice. He dropped the books on the ground and went up the tree. There he stood quietly on the branch, waiting for his heart to settle.

When he heard something from below, he carefully knelt down and shifted his gaze on the moving bushes. A man, a dark-haired young man clad in a high school uniform, came out of the bushes and greeted the flame-caster with a casual smile.

"What the hell are you doing here, you annoying shadow?" Natsume said in an icy voice. He has the habit of speaking rudely to Tsubasa, despite being younger than him.

Tsubasa leaned his back against the tree. "Looking for you, what else?" he said, and sensed Natsume's gaze getting sharper. "So, what's it like having the girl you love ignore you? Is it painful?"

Natsume shrugged. "It's none of your business."

"It's still my business, Natsume, because Mikan is my junior." There was a hint of protectiveness in his voice. "Look, Mikan told me and Hotaru about what you did. I, myself, couldn't believe it at first, but Hotaru got angry immediately."

"I noticed that a long time ago," Natsume said through gritted teeth. "That witch never gave me the chance to approach Mikan."

"Well, it's your damn fault. Why did you have to go and hurt Mikan? Why do you have to get jealous over the simplest of things? You do know that Mikan only has eyes for you, right?"

Yes, he was aware of that. He was confident that Mikan's feelings for him will never change. Nevertheless, he can't stand seeing Mikan getting all friendly with other guys—especially those who were romantically interested in her. Still, it doesn't give him the right to hurt her. He felt so pathetic at the moment that he couldn't say anything.

Tsubasa heaved a deep sigh. "What's the matter? Cat cut your tongue?" He ran his fingers through his hair. "Anyway, I have something important to tell you. It's about Mikan, so listen up."

Natsume jumped down and landed perfectly on the ground. "I'm listening."

The senior's expression turned from calm to grim. "Last week Mikan had been experiencing morning sickness. Sometimes she would feel nausea the entire day. The other night, when she was attending a meeting with the student council, she suddenly felt dizzy and fainted." He looked at Natsume and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Natsume, do you know what it means?"

Pulse racing, Natsume turned his head away. He could only think of one possible reason for her symptoms. "No way… She's pregnant…?" he muttered under his breath, and he felt Tsubasa gripping his shoulder tightly. "Tell me... Is it mine?"

Tsubasa withdrew his hand and spun around on his heels. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but Mikan is carrying Ruka-pyon's child," he said sadly. He peered over his shoulders and saw the dismayed expression on Natsume's face. He bit his lip, feeling guilty for telling him such lies, but he knew he had to keep up the act for Mikan's sake. "We had her checked and it's guaranteed. Remember, when they were still at the organization, Mikan was drugged and she had sex with him. The high school principal found out about Mikan's predicament and he decided to dismiss you as her bodyguard and boyfriend. Ruka-pyon will be taking your place whether you like it or not."

There was a long silence. It was all too hard to swallow for Natsume. The girl he loved was bearing another man's child. He didn't know whether to get angry or not. His emotions were all mixed up. "What about Mikan? What did she say? Did she accept the principal's decision?" It was amazing that he managed to regain his stoic expression.

"She cried so hard when the principal told her that she could no longer be with you," Tsubasa replied. "Ruka-pyon didn't want this either. But the two of them didn't have much of a choice. In order not to bring any shame, the two of them must wed in the future and raise their child together."

"But she belongs to me," Natsume declared. There was fire burning in his eyes. "I won't allow it."

Tsubasa turned around to face Natsume again and stepped on his shadow. "You're willing to go against the high school principal, huh?" He activated his Alice and pinned Natsume to the ground by controlling the shadow. "Don't be an idiot, Natsume. Besides, you can't change the fact that Ruka-pyon's the father of Mikan's child. I know you felt you had been betrayed, but you need to realize that you can't be that child's father no matter how much you want to be with Mikan."

Natsume did not speak and after a moment Tsubasa said more quietly, "I know it hurts so much…"

"I won't let it end like this," Natsume said, clenching his hands. He had eyes filled with determination. "You said that Mikan only has eyes for me and I know that she only sees Ruka as a friend. Regardless of her pregnancy, I can't and I won't let her marry Ruka. I'll make sure that I'll be the one who will walk Mikan down the aisle."

Tsubasa scratched the back of his head. "You still have the guts to say that? Have you forgotten about what you did to her? You've hurt her because of your jealousy issues. At least, Ruka-pyon will make a decent husband for her because he's nice."

There was a pause before Natsume spoke. "I've been so stupid and pathetic. It's just that it's so hard not to get jealous. Mikan is too irresistible for me not to do anything about it. If she's wasn't so attractive to the other guys, I wouldn't have any problems." He slowly got back to his feet, maintaining a calm appearance. "But I really am sorry for what I did to her. These past three weeks have been hard for me. I want to hold her again in my arms and to never let her go." Strange. He found it so easy to let his feelings out to Tsubasa. No matter how much he acted like he hated the guy, Tsubasa was still the senior he secretly respected. Tsubasa had helped him a lot before.

Tsubasa looked at him with compassion in his eyes. He knew when a man spoke from the heart without reserve. "Your obsession for Mikan is strong," he said. "But don't let it overwhelm you, Natsume, or you might end up hurting her again."

Natsume rolled his eyes away. "I know the error of my ways and I swore to myself that I would never do it again," he said.

"I see… Then you go to Mikan right now. She's in the infirmary with Imai-sensei."

Natsume went away as if he was suddenly in a great hurry and the Shadow Prince stared after him reflectively. Then his eyes twinkled and there was a smile on his lips. "It's all according to plan," he said. He pulled out his cell phone and called Hotaru. "He's on his way there. Be ready."

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Dr. Imai asked the brunette, who was lying on the bed in the infirmary.

"I wonder if this will continue," Mikan pondered.

"It's quite normal for a pregnant woman to feel nausea," he said. His amethyst eyes were usually cold and callous, but they become different whenever he's with Mikan. "I still find it hard to believe that you're pregnant at such a young age." He sounded nonchalant, yet there was a hint of concern.

Mikan held her tummy. "It's kinda sad, though…" she muttered. "That this unborn child does not belong to Natsume…" She leaned down and wrapped her arms around herself. Putting up such an act was hard work, but if she doesn't do it Hotaru will skin her alive. To the very least, she was happy to know that Subaru had no idea that she did it with two boys already. Hotaru was very good at explaining things, although she had some disagreements with her brother.

"And the principal wants you to marry Nogi," he said, adjusting his glasses. "I don't approve of this, but I can't go against the principal's decision."

"Uncle and Okaa-san were so upset by this…" She looked up at the doctor with tearful eyes. "Even so, I don't feel ashamed, because this is Ruka-pyon's child."

Subaru sighed. "It's really a good thing that Nogi is your friend. It makes things a lot easier for everyone to accept the situation you're in." Seriously, if Mikan was pregnant for real, he would have done something dire by now.

The door opened and Mikan gave a little cry. "N-Natsume?!" The said boy came into the room. "I-It's been a while…" She can't stop herself from being nervous.

The doctor blocked Natsume's view from Mikan and glared at him. He knew he had been eavesdropping on their conversation. "You are not allowed to set a foot near her," he stated in a strict voice. "You are no longer her bodyguard or her boyfriend. She belongs to Nogi now."

Natsume's eyebrows twitched in irritation upon hearing that. "First of all, I don't remember her breaking up with me," he said, narrowing his gaze. "Secondly, even though I'm no longer her bodyguard, I still have the right to talk to her as a person." There was no falter in his voice.

"Imai-sensei, I want to have a talk with Natsume too," Mikan said sadly, then added in a different tone, "After all, I avoided him for three weeks because he did something unforgivable to me."

Her words stabbed his heart like a dagger, but he stayed completely composed. As soon as Subaru left the infirmary, Mikan turned her head to the window and he walked over to her side. "I guess I deserve all of this, huh? You getting kidnapped by the organization, having them take advantage of you by using Ruka and getting pregnant with his child, and having you ignore me for the past weeks…" The frustration building inside of him was getting greater by the minute. "I don't think I can handle anymore punishments…" Lowering his head, his raven locks hid his crimson eyes full of guilt.

"Natsume, do you love me?" she asked.

What a funny thing to ask, he mused in his head. "Yes," he answered.

"Well, I do too." Mikan clutched the sheets tightly. "But you really don't have faith in me," she said without much hope in her voice.

His cool façade was slipping. "I know..."

Mikan took his hand and brought it to her tummy. "Natsume, will you continue to love me and accept this child inside of me?"

He was expecting that kind of question from the start and he thought he was ready to answer it. However, he found it difficult to utter a single word. The truth still hurt him. Nevertheless, whether if it was his child or not, he will continue to love Mikan from the depths of his heart. In addition to that, he will not allow her to marry his own best friend. "My answer is yes," he said, embracing her. "I love you, Mikan, and I'll accept everything about you." He eased his head away and devoured her lips passionately.

Mikan's heart skipped a beat as she felt his tongue entering her mouth. She responded obediently to his kiss. She had waited so long to have him kiss her again. The three weeks were hard and painful for her.

"Get away from her," a coldhearted voice spoke, catching the lovers' attention. The voice belonged to none other than Hotaru, who was standing by the door together with her brother and Harada Misaki. "Mikan is no longer yours, so why don't you just give up?"

Natsume held Mikan against his chest. "She is still mine," he said possessively, "and I don't care if she's carrying Ruka's child or going against the principal."

"You may not care, but I do," Hotaru said, challenging Natsume's eyes. "You're not fit to be her boyfriend. You're an eyesore, so you better get out of my sight before I do something extreme."

Mikan felt that Hotaru wasn't acting anymore. Her best friend was being serious. "H-Hotaru…I think this is more than eno—"

"This is not the time to be forgiving, dummy," Hotaru icily said. "I know how much you love him, but think about what he did to you. It's not something to be taken lightly."

"Hotaru…"

Misaki stepped forward, focusing her sharp eyes on Natsume. "I'm sorry to do this, Natsume-kun," she said. She activated her Alice and created two copies of herself. "But I can't forgive you for making Mikan cry." Her doubles charged towards Natsume.

Thinking fast, Natsume created a line of fire to prevent the doppelgangers from approaching the bed. Mikan was obviously surprised at what he did. "I know it was wrong for me to make her cry," he said, shifting his gaze down on the beautiful brunette in his arms. "But I only did that because I love her so much." Jealousy was an ugly thing, but it was also proof of his love.

Heat rose up on Mikan's cheeks. "Natsume…" She was so touched by his words that she was almost neared to tears again.

"You're making things a lot harder for us, Natsume-kun," Hotaru said, revealing a Nullification stone, which was personally made by Mikan, in her hand. She activated its power and vanquished Natsume's flame in a second. "Even though you say 'I love you' to her so many times, it won't change the fact that she's carrying Ruka-kun's child. It's only fair if she marries Ruka-kun in the future. So, starting today, she must forget all about you and learn to fall in love with Ruka-kun."

Natsume was about to say something when Misaki's doubles grabbed him and tore him away from Mikan. They locked his arms and made him face the Imai siblings. "I don't understand this," he said. "Why the hell are you doing this? Don't you care about what Mikan feels? Forcing her to do something she doesn't want is just too cruel."

"Because I know she'll be happier with Ruka-kun," Hotaru said, crossing her arms. "Hmm… If you're not satisfied with Ruka-kun, I could always ask the principal to let her be engaged to Sakurano-senpai or Kawashima Kyo instead."

"You damn witch," Natsume grumbled.

Subaru poked a finger on Natsume's forehead, activating his Alice at the same time. He transferred pain into him which was enough to give him one major migraine. "Stop being stubborn and accept your loss, Hyuuga Natsume," he said nonchalantly.

Natsume was wincing in pain when he said, "I won't give her up." He looked up at him furiously. "In the past, I've done so many things just to win her affections. It would be absurd to let my efforts be wasted. So, no matter what, I will never give her up. I love Mikan."

"But you can't have her," Hotaru replied.

Mikan couldn't take it anymore. The acting has gone overboard and Natsume was suffering too much. "That's enough!" she uttered. She hopped off the bed and ran over to Natsume. Using Nullification, she made the doppelgangers disappear. "There's no need to continue this charade. Natsume had showed us how wrong he was for hurting me, and I was so touched by his words. He said that he loves me so much that he won't give me up."

Hotaru sighed deeply. "And here I thought we could make things for real," she said. "Natsume-kun, I hope this serves as a lesson to you."

"I can't take anymore of this. I only agreed to play along because of Mikan-san. Since it's over, I can finally go." Subaru spun around on his heels and opened the door. "Oh, before I forget… Here's a fair warning to you, Hyuuga Natsume. If you hurt Mikan-san again, you'll get more than just a migraine. Please remember that. And Hotaru, as usual you're annoying, so please don't ask me to do something like this ever again." After saying all that, he made his exit.

"He's still the same as ever," Hotaru commented.

"I guess it's time for me to go too," Misaki said, patting her own shoulder. "I had fun. See you guys later." She walked across the room to the open window and jumped down.

Natsume raised a brow. "Wait a minute, what did your brother mean? And what's with the charade?"

Mikan let out a nervous chuckle as she scratched the back of her head. "Well, you see, it was all an act, Natsume," she explained. "Hotaru planned it all to punish you. She was really pissed with you."

"Who wouldn't be pissed?" Hotaru shot a glare at Natsume. "Because of him, Mikan had to show me a crying face, which I loathed the most."

"I'm not pregnant at all. I'm sorry for deceiving you, Natsume. I'm also sorry for ignoring you for three weeks. Hotaru told me to do it." Mikan bowed her head.

Natsume popped a vein. "Everything was an act? You freaky inventor, how dare you play a trick on me?" His fists were trembling in anger.

Hotaru unleashed her Baka Gun and pointed it at Natsume. "How dare you hurt Mikan…?" She paused for a moment before she put away her invention. "If you allow your obsession to take over you again, I don't think I can accept you as Mikan's boyfriend anymore. It's okay to be jealous, but there's a limit to it. If you're frustrated, you shouldn't take it out on Mikan."

Natsume shrugged. "You are one sadistic girl," he said. He won't admit it but Hotaru was right. "You had your fun, so why don't you just let me be now."

"Hmph… You can still talk so arrogantly," Hotaru said. "Well, your speeches a while ago were enough to satisfy my standards. Besides, I don't want to witness anymore drama from you." She glanced at Mikan, giving out one of her rare smiles, and spun around on her heels to take her leave.

Mikan sat down on the bed and wondered what Natsume would say to her at that very moment. One thing for sure he was annoyed with the whole acting gig. But she wished to hear his warm and lovable words again. The way he said 'I love you' was so remarkable that she wished to record it. She had suffered these past weeks since she had to ignore him. Every night she would sleep late. Every night in the darkness she could see his face, his crimson eyes looking into hers, and feel his lips take possession of her. Sometimes she felt that the pain of being apart from him was so intense.

She heard his footsteps approaching. She looked up to find him staring at her with cold eyes.

"Mikan." His voice was low and deep and yet there was an irrepressible lilt in it. "You don't know how relieved I am to know that you're not pregnant with Ruka's child. To go as far as to play a trick on me, that freaky friend of yours sure came up with a twisted plan to make me suffer."

Mikan smiled faintly. "I know… I'm sorry for that, Natsume," she said.

"You don't have to apologize," he said in a low voice. "I deserved the punishment more than anyone else. I'm really ashamed of myself. I have no excuse—no real excuse—for behaving like a stubborn fool. But let me tell you again how much you mean to me, Mikan."

Mikan drew in her breath. There was a note in the Black Cat's voice which she had adored before. It had a depth of feeling which made her vibrate as if to some strange and magical music.

"I love you, Mikan." He knelt down like a prince and held her hand. "And in the future, I would like you to marry me." He kissed the back of her hand softly before returning his gaze on her.

Still Mikan could not move as her eyes looked into his. Then she said in a voice he could hardly hear, "Are you certain that you want me as a wife in the future?"

The flame-caster made a little sound that was half a laugh and half a groan, then he put his arms gently around her and pulled her close to him. "Are you really that dense, polka-dots? It's already quite obvious." He heard her pout, and he found her face more attractive than ever. Very slowly he bent his head and his lips found Mikan's. He kissed her, as a man might kiss a flower, then with her lips soft beneath his as he felt a little quiver go through her, his kiss became more demanding, more insistent.

Now she felt as if he gave her himself. There was something spiritual and holy in their closeness, something which she knew in her heart was divine. There were tears of sheer happiness in her amber eyes and Natsume kissed them away. Then he kissed her cheeks and again her lips and all the time there was something that was different in his touch. It was so wonderful that Mikan clung to him as if he might vanish.

"I want to be with you forever, Natsume…" Mikan said, her voice so hot and low.

Natsume held her so tightly that it was painful. "And I want you in my arms all the time." He kissed her until Mikan could not breathe. After that, he looked down into her shining eyes. His girl was so beautiful and she had an unearthly radiance which made her so irresistible.

Once again he sought her lips with a demanding passion. She felt a thrill run through her because he was so masterful.

* * *

As soon as Misaki came into her room, Tsubasa sat up on her bed, yawning sleepily. He wasn't wearing his black cardigan anymore and his white shirt had a few buttons undone, exposing a good amount of his well-toned chest. Misaki felt a little heat rush up to her head, but she pretended to look calm. "How did it go?" the shadow manipulator asked.

"Oh, Natsume-kun and Mikan are now in a lovey-dovey mode," Misaki replied, taking a seat beside him on the bed. "It was amusing and sweet at the same time. Natsume-kun is always willing to do anything for Mikan."

He nodded, smiling. "Yeah… That guy loves Mikan to bits."

"That's for sure." Stretching out her arms, Misaki heaved a sigh of relief. "So, what do you want to do today, Tsubasa?"

Discarding his hat, Tsubasa took her in his arms. His touch was tender and gentle, his eyes full of the love he felt for her. "Misaki, I have something for you," he told her.

She could feel the hair on her arms standing up. Tsubasa always had this strange effect on her whenever he touches her. "What it is?" She did her best not to falter.

He retrieved a small box from his pocket and handed it to her. "This is for you, Misaki. I hope you'll like it."

Misaki pulled off the gift wrap and opened the box. Inside there was a finely silver ring decorated with shimmering stones. "It's beautiful…"

"I know we're too young for this, but I want to make sure you'll still be mine after graduation," Tsubasa explained, wrapping his arms around her neck. "Misaki, will you marry me?"

"I…I…" She found herself stuttering—something that she rarely does. Her strict demeanor had also crumbled and her heart was pounding like a drum. The proposal was all too sudden for her, but she felt it in her heart that it was something she yearned for all this time. "Tsubasa, you…I… I don't know what to say…" She clamped her mouth as she continued to stare at the ring.

Tsubasa giggled. "A simple yes or no would do," he said. "But I think a 'no' would break my heart."

Misaki shot him a glare. "It's not as simple as you think, moron!" She was about to hit him with her fist when Tsubasa blocked her attack easily with one hand. "Proposing me at this time… What the hell are you thinking? Can't you just wait until we've graduated? Didn't I tell you that I don't like to rush things?"

Without a second thought, Tsubasa pinned her down on the bed. In spite of her brutal strength, his power as a guy was greater. "I kind of understand how Natsume feels when he sees his girlfriend hanging out with other boys," he said in a serious tone. "There's the feeling of wanting to keep her all to yourself. You may not notice it, but I can get extremely jealous too."

"And I thought you didn't care if boys flirted with me," Misaki said, clasping the box firmer. "You'd usually act so cool like it's nothing."

"Well, I didn't want to cause any trouble." He gave her his trademark carefree smile.

"That is so like you." She removed the ring on from the box and slipped it on her finger. "I don't want to waste a ring like this and I'm sure it didn't come cheap. Your proposal is not bad either, so my answer is yes. Make sure you'll make me the happiest bride during our wedding day, Tsubasa." She took his head in her hands and pulled him down to kiss her.

His tongue darted into her mouth, to be met by her own. They drank their fill of one another's sweetness, and then moved on.

* * *

Narumi-sensei, having finished breakfast the next day, had settled down with a newspaper in his hand when Misaki-sensei came into the room.

"Naru, you have a guest." The dark-haired teacher always sported a stoic expression on his face.

He glanced at the clock with a surprised expression in his eyes. It was six in the morning. "A visitor, huh? May I know who it is?" He beamed a smile at his best friend and fellow co-teacher. "Wait, don't tell me… Is it Yuka-senpai?"

Misaki rolled his eyes away as he sighed. "She left the academy yesterday for work, remember? Look, your guest is waiting for you outside and he wants to see you."

"Very well. Show my guest in."

A few seconds later a familiar spiky auburn-haired man appeared, casually and coolly dressed in a black sleeveless shirt, black jeans with silver chains around his waist, and he wore wristbands and accessories. "It's been a long time, Naru-senpai," he said.

Amethyst eyes shot wide open in a second. "R-Reo?" Narumi stood up from his chair. "Is that really you?" He took a step forward, hesitating to approach him.

"I've come back, senpai," Reo said after a moment of silence. "There are no more strings attached to me. The Anti-Alice Organization is gone now, and I wish to be part of this academy again."

A handsome smile appeared on Narumi's face as he walked towards the singer. "I've waited a long time for you to say that, Reo," he said, giving Reo a warm embrace. "It's good to have you back in the academy." He patted Reo's back before easing away to face him. His junior had tears in his eyes already.

Reo wiped the tears away with his arm and lowered his gaze on the floor. "You were right all along, Naru… I should've listened to you…" There was no doubt he regretted doing all those awful things to his senior in the past. "That's why if there's anything I can do to make it up to you, just tell me…"

"You've already done enough. Mikan-chan and the others told me the whole story. When I was brought to the organization, you took good care of me. You've also helped my daughter. For that I thank you."

The singer said nothing and looked up at Narumi.

"Let's put the past aside now. You're finally back and I want to try being a good senior for you again." Narumi ruffled Reo's hair as he chuckled. "I really missed doing this." He did a headlock on Reo and ruffled his hair more. He was enjoying fooling around with his junior again.

* * *

"You guys did what?!" Ruka uttered in surprise after listening to Hotaru's story of how they tricked Natsume into thinking Mikan was pregnant with Ruka's child. He was in her lab, currently doing the cleaning. Truth to be known, he was blackmailed again to be her personal servant. Well, Ruka didn't mind it. He kind of missed her blackmails.

"We did a pretty good job in acting," Hotaru said, tinkering with a small machine. "Of course, I planned everything."

Ruka stepped back without speaking. The inventor was emitting a dark aura that he found intimidating. Again, without speaking, he started picking up the tools and screws scattered on the floor.

Hotaru placed her machine down on the table and turned toward him. She asked, masking her emotions as usual, "What would you do if Mikan was really pregnant with your child?"

It was a difficult question to answer. What would he really do? He would have a responsibility towards his unborn child. However, Natsume will be lonely all throughout his life. He didn't want that. And surely Mikan wouldn't be pleased with it. Silence was all he could give to Hotaru as a reply and he hoped that she won't hit him for that.

Stepping up to the huge computer, she checked the systems. "You're lucky that you didn't make her pregnant." After fidgeting with the program, she turned to Ruka once again. "You must've been gentle with her, huh?"

Remembering his passionate moment with Mikan, Ruka blushed ten shades of red. "Why don't we talk of something else?"

"Yes," Hotaru agreed solemnly, hands folded together at her waist, watching him. "By the way, I heard you kissed Mikan after giving her a gift. You're a sly one, Ruka-kun."

"Imai, stop teasing me already!" Ruka uttered, feeling very embarrassed. "Anyway, how about you? You're a No-Star now. What's up with that? Why didn't you get your old rank back? After all, you were only demoted because you were manipulated by Aya-san."

Hotaru shrugged. "Manipulated or not, I still murdered those students with my own hands," she said coolly as she looked at her open palms. "A No-Star rank is suitable for me now. Besides, it was also my decision to stay as a No-Star. A lot of people don't trust me anymore, so I must win them back."

"I see… Well, if that's what you want to do, don't let me stop you," he said, resuming his work.

Hotaru debated for a moment but decided to ask him the question that was bothering her mind. "Will you ever open your heart to another girl or will you forever be in love with Mikan?" She made no eye contact with him, but she knew he was looking at her weirdly. "Don't you think it's better if you forget about your feelings and move on? Remember, it's agonizing to see the one you love in the arms of another guy. If you continue to harbor such feelings of love, then you're only making yourself lonely." As cold as she sounded, her expression had a hint of concern.

"You really think I'm making myself lonely?" Ruka asked.

"I'm sure of it," Hotaru replied firmly. "I expect at this moment your heart is crying because you know Mikan will never be yours."

"I understand what you're saying, Imai, and I appreciate the concern," he said, raking his blonde locks with one hand. "But I'm not making myself lonely. And the feelings I have for Sakura will probably remain forever. After all, Sakura is not any girl. She's unique, a very beautiful and cheerful girl, capable of shining her light towards others." There was a smile on the blonde boy's lips and a glint in his eye that had not been there before.

"You are an impossible case."

"Maybe I am…"

"You may not realize this, but you and Natsume-kun are so alike," Hotaru said, folding her arms in front of her chest. "You two are complete idiots."

Ruka chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment, Imai."

"There's no need for you to work for me any longer," Hotaru said nonchalantly, grabbing a set of tools on top of her computer.

Ruka was surprised at what he said. "Are you sure about that, Imai? I mean, your lab is still a mess and you could use some help."

Hotaru pressed a button on her computer and an embarrassing picture of Ruka in a sailor uniform was flashed on the screen. "I'll make sure to sell copies of this picture tomorrow if you don't get out of here quickly," she said, sounding serious as ever.

The Blackmailing Queen would never joke about matters like that, Ruka thought nervously. "Imai, how the hell did you take that photo of me?" He gulped as he saw her eyes narrowed. "You know, sometimes you're worse than a stalker." He darted towards the entrance and left immediately.

With him gone, Hotaru heaved the sigh of relief and sat down on a chair. "Worse than a stalker, huh?" She set her eyes on the photographs she laid down earlier, photographs of Mikan. "I guess I'm an idiot too for having this kind of feeling."

Meanwhile, Ruka was making his way towards the middle school dorm. "I hope Imai doesn't show that picture to anyone else," he said. "But this is Imai I'm talking about." As soon as the building was in sight, a strange figure dashed past him. Before he knew it, someone wrapped his/her arms around him.

"Don't panic, Ruka." It was a familiar voice of a girl.

"Wait a minute… Don't tell me you're…" The girl clung to his arm and rubbed her face against his, making Ruka blush like crazy. "Sugita?! W-What are you doing here in the academy? And why are you sticking to me like glue?"

The dark-haired Aya winked a playful eye at him and set him free. She was wearing the middle school uniform for girls. "I came here to visit you and Mikan-chan," she replied cheerfully. "Hey, can you take me to where Mikan-chan is?"

"Sugita, how did you get into the academy?"

Aya flipped her hair as she showed off a cunning smile. "With my Alice, I can easily break into this academy any time I want," she said. Having the Copy Alice was beneficial for her. She may not possess the Alice of Manipulation anymore, but she can still be deadly. "Moreover, I'm no longer an enemy of this school."

"Since you're here, I figure that Reo-san's here too, correct?"

"He's with Narumi-sensei right now."

"Reo-san is still pursuing his career as a singer. Why don't you try becoming a celebrity like him? I think you have what it takes to make it big."

"Ani-sama also told me that, and I've been thinking about it ever since," Aya said, tapping her cheek with a finger. "I'm sure it'll be fun to join Ani-sama in the spotlight." And before she could fantasize herself as a big star on stage, her senses picked up Mikan from afar. Quick and nimble like a cat, she grabbed Ruka and flew up into the air to get a better view of the surroundings. She spotted Mikan walking hand-in-hand with Natsume near the middle school division front yard and got excited.

The shimmer in her scarlet eyes, as Ruka noticed, was unparalleled. Aya would only give that bright expression whenever she sees Mikan. It goes to show how much she treasures Mikan.

The brunette was animatedly talking to Natsume about his upcoming birthday next week. As usual, despite being mildly excited for his birthday, the Black Cat stayed quiet and pretended to be uninterested. And when Mikan asked him about what kind of present does he want this year, Natsume took her in his arms and kissed her slowly.

"Wah…What was that for?" Mikan asked, looking surprised.

"I don't need gifts," he said, slipping his hand under her skirt. Nobody was around to stop him from getting a little perverted. "All I need is you."

She flushed madly and shook her head vigorously. "Natsume, stop being a pervert!" she shouted. "Your birthday's coming up and you have yet to tell me what you desire." She let out a slight moan as Natsume squeezed her thigh gently.

Natsume smirked arrogantly. "You just don't get it do you," he said. "All I want as a present is you. I want your body all to myself on my birthday." There was a sense of pressure in his voice.

"Get away from my Mikan-chan, you stupid Black Cat!!!" Aya swooped down and kicked Natsume out of the way. "Mikan-chan, are you all right? If you can't take it anymore, I suggest that you break up with him as soon as possible." Of course, she was half-joking when she said that.

Mikan was so flabbergasted to see Aya there. "I don't believe this. It's really Aya-chan!" She lunged towards the ex-Ace of the AAO and hugged her tightly. "I've missed you so much, Aya-chan."

Smiling, Aya hugged Mikan back. "I've missed you too, Mikan-chan. I kept thinking about you ever since we got separated." She backed away and held Mikan's hands. Then she shot a glare at Natsume, who had just recovered from her attack. "As expected, you're still a pervert, Hyuuga Natsume. I can't entrust my Mikan-chan to you."

"You're still annoying, bitch," Natsume said, lighting up a flame in his palm. "If you don't step away from her, I swear I'll let you experience hell at this very moment."

Aya grinned proudly as she placed her hands on her waist. "I'd like to see you try, Hyuuga," she said.

Ruka placed a hand on Aya's shoulder and said, "Sugita, don't provoke him any longer."

At the same time, Mikan snaked one arm around Natsume's and pinched his cheek. "Natsume, behave yourself. Don't cause any trouble for Aya-chan. Remember, she's an important friend of mine."

Scarlet and Crimson eyes met, challenging one another. After a while, Aya and Natsume rolled their eyes away and muttered, "Whatever…" Natsume and Aya were still not in good terms, but the two no longer treated each other as mortal enemies.

* * *

The knocking on Mikan's door was steady and insistent. Reluctantly she pulled herself out of Natsume's arms and stood up. They had dressed in preparation for the birthday party. Mikan's sugar pink short dress was extremely sexy, showing off the right curves and a fair amount of skin. Diagonal pleats overlay the strapless bodice with a beaded empire band. The corset-seamed midriff meets the flirty, shirred skirt. Natsume was speechless when he saw her stepping into the room clad in the dress, and Mikan said that it was her first birthday present to him.

They had intended to head for the grand hall after dressing up, but her living room was so cozy that they had snuggled up in each other's warmth. But somebody had to knock on the door to disturb their privacy.

"Natsume-kun is finally fifteen years old," the unexpected visitor, who turned out to be Narumi-sensei, announced ever-so-cheerfully. The eccentric teacher was clad in a princely type costume with a white cape and a long thin sword. "This is an exciting day for him."

"It's supposed to be exciting," Mikan said, turning towards her boyfriend. Natsume was wearing a formal black suit with a corsage. She crinkled her nose. "But he doesn't look excited at all."

Natsume sighed in frustration. "Whose idea was it to throw a party for me? I didn't even ask for it."

Narumi walked up to the lad, laughing. "Stop acting so cool, Natsume-kun. It's your birthday, so lighten up." He patted his back. "Everyone worked so hard to throw you a party. You don't want to dampen their mood now, right?"

"Touch me again and I'll burn you," Natsume warned.

"Natsume-kun, you're so mean," Narumi said playfully.

The raven-haired boy shrugged and went to Mikan. "Hurry and get your coat," he told her. "We have a party to get to, and I don't want to spend another minute in the same room as Naru."

Narumi-sensei sweat-dropped anime style as he chuckled. "He's angry at me again…Hehe…"

The party started off with a blast, and those who were more or less friends and in good terms with Natsume were there celebrating his day of birth with him. Girls were wearing short dresses while the boys were wearing suits. The food was served in a buffet style and the table was filled with delicious food and pastries made by the talented Umenomiya Anna herself. The drinks were compliments of the brilliant chemist, Ogasawara Nonoko, while the decorations were all thanks to Narumi-sensei, Kawashima Asuka, and Mikan.

Several of the guests were talking or laughing, or dancing. Shouda Sumire, nicknamed Permy by Mikan, was chasing Kokoroyomi, the mind reader, around because the guy teased her again. The two of them were partners, but they have an odd relationship. Tobita Yuu, the class representative, was trying to calm Sumire down, while Kitsuneme, the boy with the ability to fly, helped Kokoroyomi with the teasing. Hotaru was busy eating some seafood at the table. And on the other side of the big room, Mochiage and a group of boys were drinking punch.

Some of the senior students were there as well. Tsubasa told the group about his engagement to Misaki. Tonouichi Akira was there and he congratulated Tsubasa for taking the next step. Imai Subaru and Ibaragi Nobara were silent during their talk, but they listened to them well.

Narumi-sensei hugged Mikan, then spun her into another man's waiting arms. He had his fun dancing with Mikan, so it was time to give Sakurano Shuuichi a chance. Sakurano whirled her through the crowd of dancing people, a handsome smile present on his face.

He then motioned over to Azumi Yuka, who was standing beside the buffet table, and snaked an arm around her waist. "Are you enjoying the party, Yuka-senpai?"

The brunette mother, who always looked young and gorgeous, grimaced at the teacher. She was wearing a light green short dress with a sequined strapless bodice with draped satin at the empire onto the sassy, layered tulle skirt. "Naru, do you really have to dress up as a prince at this kind of party?" she asked, cynicism present in her voice, and the teacher laughed. "Seriously… I find your taste in clothing rather bizarre."

"But I know you like it," Narumi teased, and Yuka heaved a deep sigh. "Anyway, did I ever tell you that you look great in that dress?" There was a big smile on his face.

"Yes…about five times already…" Yuka then pinched his hand and removed his arm around her waist. "I don't remember giving you permission to touch me so freely." During her student days, Narumi had shown his fondness of her by being so attached. Yuka considered it annoying up until now, but it was also nice to have him around. Plus, his cheerful disposition reminded her so much of her favorite sensei.

"Senpai, you're so cold," Narumi said, chuckling.

Yuka rolled her eyes away from him and saw Natsume standing in one corner. "The birthday celebrant is all alone." She noticed that he was watching Mikan dance with Sakurano. "And I think he's getting jealous again. That's so cute."

"He already danced with Mikan-chan a while ago," Narumi said. "But he doesn't want to dance with anybody else."

"Well, that's Natsume-kun for you."

The music changed into a livelier one and Narumi-sensei wanted to dance. "Yuka-senpai, let's dance," he said, taking hold of her hand.

Yuka gave him a stunning smile. "All right… Just promise me you won't step on my foot," she said, and the blonde nodded happily.

As the two of them went to the dance floor, Mikan had already switched partners. This time she was dancing with the seven year old Hijiri Youichi. But Youichi didn't look like a child. He was currently in his 17-year old body and he looked fine dressed in a silver suit.

Kawashima Kyo crossed the room and approached Nonoko. The chemist girl was clad in a navy blue short dress with a pleated, crumb-catcher strapless neckline and a shirred, bubble skirt. He held out his hand and bowed like a gentleman. "May I have this dance?" he asked, showing her a well-toothed smile. Nonoko can never resist him, so shyly she took his hand. Kyo then led her to the dance floor and together they danced to the romantic music.

When Kokoroyomi and Kitsuneme shouted that they were a good couple, Kyo kissed her. Afterward, she looked up, terribly embarrassed that he had kissed her in public.

"Let's see," Aya said thoughtfully, staring at the martini glasses filled with different fruit juices. Aya looked exceptionally radiant in her black dress with a sweetheart strapless bodice and shirred, flowing skirt and ribbon tie sash. "Should I take orange, strawberry or grape?"

"Orange is good." Reo took the glass with the orange drink and handed it to Aya. He was looking good in his black suit, but he didn't wear a tie. The two buttons of his white shirt were left open. "I should warn you. This has alcohol in it."

Aya sipped the drink and looked up at Reo. "Ani-sama, have you forgotten?" she said in a teasing manner. "I don't get drunk. I have high tolerance in alcohol." Honestly, she and Reo were enjoying the party as much as everyone else, although her relationship with Natsume was not that good.

The gifted designer, Kawashima Asuka, pranced towards Aya with a costume in her hand. "Aya-chan, I have another costume I want you to try on. I gave Mikan-chan hers and she's in the dressing right now getting ready." She flashed the costume and giggled. "You and Mikan-chan will surely look adorable. What do you say, Aya-chan?" They were enemies before and then they've become good friends. With Mikan's help, Asuka found the heart to forgive Aya. Asuka also knew that it was better to forgive than to hold a grudge for the rest of your life. In addition to that, she can never stay angry at Mikan's friend.

During her stay at the academy, Aya had become one of Asuka's dress-up dolls. Asuka considered Aya to be a unique type of beauty with a split personality—one of her favorite types in an anime and manga. In addition to that, she had also stated that Aya's character and appearance complimented Mikan's bubbly nature and overwhelming cuteness factor. An Otaku like her would never grow tired of making costumes for them.

"Kawashima-san, I would love to try it on," Aya said. "Kindly direct me to where Mikan-chan is and I'll put it on."

"Sure, sure!" Asuka replied energetically. Grabbing Aya's hand, she hauled her over to the girl's comfort room. "I bet Mikan-chan is already done dressing up. I can't wait to see her in an Ashford Academy Uniform from 'Code Geass'."

"Code Geass?" Aya wasn't into anime and otaku stuff, so she had no idea what Asuka was talking about. However, she was quite excited to see Mikan in the uniform.

"Mikan-chan, we're here!" Asuka yelled, pushing the door open only to be greeted by silence. There was no one in the room. "Mikan-chan? Oh, she's not here."

A cold breeze came from an open window. "Who opened the window?" Aya asked, walking towards it.

"No idea… But that's usually closed."

Aya found a strand of brown hair on the window pane and realized where Mikan has gone off to. "Kawashima-san, if you don't mind, I'd like to go back to the party," she said. "I want to check on something."

Asuka hugged her costume. "Eh? You're not going to dress up?" she asked.

"Don't worry… I just want to check up on something and be back here to change," Aya explained.

And so, the two girls went back to the party. Aya scanned the room in search for a certain raven-haired flame-caster. _As expected, that Hyuuga is not here anymore… _she thought, cupping her chin with one hand. _I would love to mess things up for him, but since it's his birthday I'll give him a chance. _There was a small yet crafty smile on her face.

* * *

Natsume had deliberately taken Mikan away from the party. He was the one who opened the window in the girl's comfort room and told Mikan to come with him. Of course, Mikan had changed into the Ashford Academy Uniform (High School Version). The yellow coat, the black skirt and the white thigh-high stockings suited her perfectly, but he only admitted it in his head. He was never the one to give out compliments easily.

The music was loud, so they could still hear it in spite of the distance.

Natsume held her close to him as they danced, and it was almost midnight. He could feel her warmth next to him, and she felt so delicate in his arms. There were no words for what he felt for her. "Your second gift was the party," he said, and she looked up at him with merry eyes and nodded. "What's my third and final gift? I'm still waiting for that, polka-dots."

"Again with the nickname," Mikan said with a shrug. "Geez, I'm not wearing that pattern today and don't you dare tell me—"

He kissed her to shut her up before he gets irritated. "I'm not letting you sleep tonight," he said, as they danced slowly under the pale moonlight. "I hope you're prepared."

"Oh." She shook her head seriously, and he kissed her again. "Natsume, wait… Before you do anything else, let me give you your present." She pulled an object from her pocket and placed it around Natsume's neck.

Her present was a bejeweled crucifix with a silver link chain. It was magnificent that it would make a wonderful addition to any outfit. The jewels on the cross were dark blue in color, and he knew there weren't ordinary. They were Alice stones. "No wonder they say you're one of the best when it comes to making Alice stones," he said. You could only make stones as small as a shard four years ago. Now you can change the colors of the stones without any trouble. But you're still a blunder in most things."

A vein popped up on her head. "I'll just pretend I didn't hear that last line," Mikan said.

"Hmph… And I didn't know you had good taste in accessories," he said, sarcasm edged in his hard voice.

"Somehow, I feel like I was insulted."

"I assume that these are Nullification Alice stones…"

Mikan nodded her head. "The Stealing-Alice is quite dangerous. Besides, you can benefit more from my Nullification Alice."

"Don't be so full of yourself, polka-dots."

Grumbling, she uttered, "Don't call me polka-dots, pervert!"

Natsume rolled his eyes away. "Whatever, polka-dots…" He sensed that Mikan was about to blow a fuse, so he immediately butted in. "I'm not used to saying this, so listen up. For the present you gave me…thanks…"

Mikan giggled and kissed his cheek. "Natsume thanked me!" she said out loud. "I'm so happy!" She jumped up and down like a little child, not knowing that she was exposing her white cotton panties.

"You are such a klutz," he muttered, placing a hand over his temple. Well, she was his klutz and he was proud of it. "Come here, you annoying girl." He put his arms around her, smoothed the back of her neck and kissed her hair.

She would love to scold him for calling her names again but decided not to. How could she scold him if he was acting sweet at the moment? "I bet it's already midnight. Did you enjoy your birthday?"

He looked down at her a long moment. When he finally spoke, his tone was a little cold yet gentle. "Do I really have to answer that?" he asked, and the brunette giggled. "It's already obvious."

Her eyes softened, and her mouth curved into a beatific smile. "Of course…" she muttered.

Later, after the party, Mikan was ready to hit the hay when Natsume came into her room. At this point, she was simply clad in a silky white nightgown. "I told you… I'm not letting you sleep," he said.

Shakily Mikan smiled, and put her hand to his cheek. "Can't we do this some other time?" she asked. "I'm kinda tired."

He caught her hand and kissed it, then laid it against his chest. "Do you think I'm satisfied with material gifts?" he said. "I'm thankful for the party and the accessory, but I want something more. I want you."

Mikan's other hand moved up, and she linked both them behind his neck. "Natsume, I think you just need some sleep," she said innocently.

His arms came round her waist and pulled her tightly against his body. "No… What I need is you…" His voice was low and husky.

"Mmm," Mikan murmured. Her heart was racing. "You're being persistent."

"So?" he replied nonchalantly. His hands moving on her, his lips exploring her neck, he said softly, "I know you enjoy it whenever I do this…"

On a breathless little laugh, she said, "I can't argue with that…"

His hands were verifying it as he smiled his rare smile into her eyes, and he said, "Are you wearing something under this silk thing?" The girl shook her head, and his sexual urges increased more. "Then let's go to bed now or are you going to say no?"

There was no denying the fact he was obsessed with her. Only she, as others have stated, can make him truly happy and fulfilled. Somehow, his obsession was sort of exciting for her and it made her feel more special to him. In any case, she hoped that he would keep his obsession under control. She smiled back at him, her eyes languorous with love, and gave him the answer that he wanted.

END OF OBSESSION

* * *

JC: I'm shocked. Twenty-three chapters all in all! Wah! I never realized it was already that long. This is probably the influence of a particular novel where one chapter consisted of how many pages. I'm not going to state what novel it is and who the author is. Okay, going back to the story, I have to say that **Obsession **has been a huge success. The plot was interesting and very challenging. While I was writing this story, I felt like I was making my own Manga Series already. Of course, in a story, you can't avoid having characters going out of character once in a while. It depends upon the situation and the person their talking to. A lot of things can influence a character to make them change their personality and usual mood.

**Motivation: **Before I wrote this story, I researched about Obsessive Love and Love Addiction around the net. I've even read stories based on said themes. And somehow, I've managed to relate Natsume's character to the guys in the stories I've read. Guys who show this kind of obsessive behavior are interesting to see and add more spice to the romantic story. Girls have to learn to handle them no matter how hard it is. Originally, I wanted this story to end with 30 chapters only. But since I was inspired and due to the demands of my friends, I ended up writing it to chapter 50.

**Note: **To the reviewers, thank you so much for the wonderful feedbacks. The constructive criticisms were very helpful too. Without the reviewers, this story wouldn't have been a success. I know there were some things you didn't like about this story, but you still continued to support me till the end. I'm also grateful to those people who complimented this story and read my previous works too. By the way, I have new story for Gakuen Alice coming up. Just check my profile for the summary which will be posted later. I hope to see you there as well.

Before you hit the feedback button, let me ask you this: Can you list the names of the characters who displayed strong signs of Obsession? There are a lot of them. Okay, please review. No flaming.


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